Walking the Path Revised
by Razial
Summary: Xander begins to walk his own path after leaning of his true origins.This fic has now been beta'd and has some slight changes to it, it should be alot easier to read and more understandable.
1. Chapter 1

Walking the Path Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the vampire slayer or any other of the characters in this story they belong to Joss Whedon and whoever else created the characters used in this story. Any characters I created I own.

Pairing: Janna Kalderash / Xander Harris

Thanks to Hawklan for fixing this story up a bit.

Alexander Harris was not having a good day, but then ever since the end of the love spell his life had taken a down turn. He had only wanted vengeance after Cordelia had humiliated him during Valentine's Day by dumping him and seeing Amy doing magic had just seemed to be an easy way to make her feel the same pain as he had been enduring.

He had not foreseen what chaos he would call down, not only on himself, but also on his friends or former friends as it stood at the moment. One of the things to come out of the whole thing was that his former friends had accused him of being an immature idiot and of trying to take advantage of them, whilst they were under the spell.

It seemed Buffy and the others had ignored the fact that he ignored all of their advances bar one, Jenny Calendar or Janna Kalderash, as that was her true name, was not someone to be turned down by anyone with a brain and when she had got him alone she had initiated him into the world of pleasure. Afterwards when all had been sorted out Janna had not yelled at him, instead she had given him a small smile before walking out of the library.

As far as he could see only she and Amy were still on good terms with him. Amy had enjoyed spending time with him even without the magic spell and so they had started a new friendship. He looked up as he noticed Buffy and Willow standing near their lockers glaring at him, as if he had actually done anything seriously wrong. He shook his head and moved on towards the computer room where he knew Janna would be.

Janna Kalderash sat staring at her computer screen, as she continued to work on the soul spell in her free time as well as gather the necessary items she would need.

She was close to actually finishing it, but she was fearful of how much it would cost to cast the spell. Soul magic was not something to mess with lightly and only the strongest of her tribe could possible hope to harness the magic.

She looked up as the doors to her room opened and Alexander Harris entered, looking slightly depressed as he had for the past three weeks since the love spell. He was another reason for her current apprehension and confusion. During the love spell she had ended up having sex with the young man. Afterwards she had been confused due to the fact that she had enjoyed the freedom granted to her by the spell and her own growing liking of Xander replacing the hurt she had felt when Rupert had turned on her when the truth about why she was in Sunnydale had come out.

"Hey Miss Calendar," he said forgetting that he was allowed to call by her actually name.

"Problem Xander?" she asked as she saved her progress.

"Not really, it's just a bit boring not having some friends to hang with all the time, seeing as Amy has her own things to do," he replied.

"They obviously weren't that good friends, Xander, due to how they have been treating you," she replied, suddenly feeling sick as she had off and on for the last week and a half. "Excuse me for a few minutes, I'll be back soon," she told her friend before she ran out.

Xander watched somewhat confused before a hint of concern hit him as well. He sat back into his chair and began to let his thoughts stray.

Angelus growled as he watched Spike wheel himself away after another confrontation. He hated the blond vampire more than he hated Xander Harris, the slayer's clown of a friend.

He couldn't deny the fact that Spike was a violent killer and a very effective fighter, but he was also too independent and also always tried to ruin his plans.

"The stars are singing," Dru's voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned to look at his insane childe.

"Anything interesting Dru?" he asked.

"It's a warning, the stars say that the nasty gypsy teacher is trying to harm you," Dru warned him.

"How?" he growled again, as he thought about the gypsies and then the fact that they were the reason he had been cursed in the first place.

"She intends to use a spell to bring Angel back," Dru answered looking more insane than normally.

Angelus seethed with rage at the very idea of the weakling Angel coming back to imprison him again. He turned and stalked towards the window hoping night fell fast tonight so he could deal with the gypsy.

Xander watched as Janna returned looking slightly better than she had when she had run out of the room. She now looked concerned about something as well.

"Are you okay Janna?" he asked.

"I don't know, for the last week and a half I've been sick and I don't know what's causing it," she replied. "Added to that, the spell is almost finished, but I don't know if anyone can actually cast it," she added, before she realized what she had in adversely let slip.

"What spell?" Xander asked suddenly alert.

"It's nothing really," she tried, but after noticing Xander's disbelieving look she relented. "I've been working on Angelus' soul curse, translating it during my free time, night and day since I found it," she informed him.

"Soul spell?" Xander asked. "Sounds dangerous," he added.

"It is Xander," Janna assured him. "But it may be the only way we can stop Angelus' killing spree," she told him.

"You said you work on this at night as well, where?" he inquired in a concerned tone.

"Here," she said simply, noticing him frown.

"Are you crazy? This is a public building, which means any vampire can enter it and if they do you'll be dead in seconds," he almost shouted at her, his sudden fear for her safety surprising himself quite a bit.

Janna paled a little, as she realized she had forgotten that very rule, as she had become obsessed with redoing the soul spell and stopping Angelus in his tracks.

"You actually forgot about that, didn't you?" Xander said seeing how she had paled. "Janna please tell me that you won't do that again," he said concerned again.

"I can't. I am almost finished Alex," she answered looking away.

Xander knew better than to try to convince the lovely Romany woman not to risk her life, so he vowed to make sure her back was covered that night.

Angelus walked through the hallways of Sunnydale high with a slightly insane kind of smile as he began to plot how to best use Janna Kalderash death to his advantage. He knew it would hurt Buffy to know she had failed in her duty to protect innocents due to the fact she had let him go at the mall, but the effect it would have on Rupert Giles would be devastating, because even after recent events the Watcher loved the woman.

He had been so deep in thought that he had not noticed that he was been ghosted through the school by a shadow.

Xander looked on in anger and hatred as Angelus entered the school, intending to murder what he believed to be the sole occupant of the school at that time. He was about to be surprised. Xander hefted the stake and small sword he had appropriated from Giles's armory and prepared himself for a very hard fight.

He waited as he listened to Angelus taunt Janna after he had entered the computer room. He knew the vampire's background, how he liked to make his victims run full of terror and so he waited then, as Janna suddenly shot out of the room he jumped into a flying kick catching a surprised Angelus and knocking him backwards into the doors.

Janna came to a halt at the noise, turned around and stared in shock as Xander appeared out of nowhere and nailed the twisted vampire with a jump kick. He was carrying a stake and a sword and was obviously ready for a hell of a fight.

She knew he had been right not to have come here tonight, but she hadn't been able to resist coming and now that she had finished the spell she knew it had been the right choice, although now it seemed it would doom both her and Xander to certain death.

"Harris," Angelus spat as he stood up.

"Dead boy," Xander returned as he readied his sword and stake.

"Two for the price of one, I came here to stop her from chaining me back inside that weakling Angel, but killing you as well will break the others all the faster," Angelus smiled viscously at the thought.

"A little over confident aren't you dead boy?" Xander shot back as he stepped backwards towards Janna, knowing even if he managed to land a good blow that they would only have a few seconds to get to his uncle's car which was parked outside.

Angelus snarled and leapt at the annoying friend of the Slayer.


	2. Chapter 2

Walking the Path Chapter 2

Xander tensed as he watched Angelus prepare to jump, he knew he would have seconds to move clear and attack. Finally Angelus jumped his teeth bared and his eyes full of hate. Xander didn't hesitate and jumped backwards before swinging his sword in a wide arc at the spot he had just occupied, cutting Angelus in the chest as the vampire landed, causing him to growl.

Angelus was surprised by the human's fast reaction and then cursed himself for remembering how his souled self had underestimated him and paid for it. As much as he hated the boy, properly the only thing he had in common with Angel, he knew the kid was full of potential and could be a danger as had been proven when he had faced off against him at the hospital.

He faced the boy who held his sword at the ready while keeping the stake towards his side. He wondered where the boy had learnt such tactics and then recalled the Halloween incident which had turned the boy into a soldier and realized bits of that experience must have stayed in his head. He backed off a bit, a little unsure of how to proceed as he did not process the information he needed to deal with the boy.

"Come on dead boy lets go," Xander taunted him, trying to sound confident.

Angelus didn't respond and jumped at him again this time missing the sword only to be caught by the stake in his side causing him jerk backwards leaving him open to a side kick from the boy which knocked him to the ground.

Xander didn't hesitate in turning grabbing Janna and running towards the exit: he dropped the stake and grabbed his little surprise which he threw near the vampire as he climbed back to his feet only to be knocked backwards as the small explosive Xander had created went off, sending small bits of shrapnel into his leg and side.

Outside the school Xander jumped into his car followed closely by Janna. It took him a second to start the engine and then quickly jerked the wheel and drove away from the school as quickly as possible. He watched his view rear mirror as Angelus limped outside the building, growling at being out witted by his foe.

"Thank you Alex," Janna said as her heart beat finally began to slow down.

"We got lucky Janna that's all. If he had been prepared for the fact I retained some of what happened during the Halloween spell and some of the hyena enhancements we'd both be dead," Xander shot back, breathing hard as he finally began to relax.

"Still I should have known you'd be watching my back," Janna said as she lay back against the comfortable car seat.

"You should have listened to me and then your life and mine would not have almost ended," Xander replied, giving her a quick glance.

"I know I'm sorry, but I did finish the translation," she told him. "If we can do the spell Angel will be back," she added.

"It isn't happening Janna. Angel had his chance and he blew it," Xander replied hotly. "You said yourself this soul spell is dangerous and there is no way in hell I am losing you or anyone else for that monster," he added.

Janna looked like she was about to object, before she realized just how serious Xander was and there was no guarantee that the spell would work, so she let it rest before another thought entered her head.

"But what about Buffy?" she asked.

"I won't risk it for her either. Angelus, by all rights, should be dead when we dealt with the Judge. Buffy should have staked him and finished it," Xander answered. "Instead she let him go and he has carved a bloody path through Sunnydale since, whilst all she has done is cry and wine about not being able to be with her soul mate," he continued. "She doesn't deserve it," he finished coldly.

Janna thought long about Xander's reply and could find no fault with his logic.

She had been so obsessed with finishing the curse, so that she could find forgiveness within the group she had given no thought to the fact that she had done nothing wrong, except following her people's orders. Something Buffy couldn't understand as she was blinded by her feelings, whilst Rupert was just following Buffy.

The fact that neither Slayer or Watcher were trying to deal with the viscous vampire showed that in truth they didn't deserve to have someone risk their soul in such a risky spell. She looked up as the car came to a stop and she noticed that they had arrived at her house.

*  
Angelus snarled as he limped back to the factory. His rage at being out smarted by Harris was driving him insane.

He had not expected the boy to have any hidden talents though his possessions and it had cost him, although the boys speed had been even more unexpected. He would have to think about how to deal with him a bit more carefully as it seemed neither the slayer or his souled self had really any clues as to what Xander Harris was capable off.

At least he had stopped the Romany from completing her soul spell to chain him within Angel again, so tonight had not been a total loss.

Xander watched as Janna sat back down after making them some tea. He still marveled at her beauty and he quickly looked away as she caught him staring at her.

"So what do we do now?" he asked.

Janna just smiled at Xander's inability not to stare at her. It almost made her blush. "If you will not let me do the spell, then we have to kill Angelus once and for all," Janna replied as she settled into her sofa.

"We're going to need help to do that," Xander said thoughtfully.

"Buffy and the others will not help either of us," Janna said, stating something they both knew very well.

"No but there is someone else we can call on to help," Xander told her as his face brightened at the idea he just had.

"Who?" Janna asked intrigued.

"Kendra," Xander answered back with a smile. "Two slayers remember? She will have no problem in killing dead boy," he added, as he watched Janna gotten on to what he was getting at.

"Of course," she agreed, before her thoughts came to a crashing halt, "but we don't have a way of contacting her," she pointed out.

"Actually we do. I stole her number from Giles's office, just in case something came up and we needed the extra support and the others didn't want to call on her," Xander informed her.

Janna smiled at his sneakiness, while wondering what else she didn't know about her friend, she suddenly felt sick again and quickly ran to the bathroom.

A few seconds later, after emptying her stomach, she began to piece a few things together which could cause her to be sick so often and what she came up with shocked her. She sat down on the bath rim as she tried to come up with a counter to her own realization, but she came up short.

If she was right then she and Xander were in for a very confusing time and then she thought about what her family would say when they found out.

"Janna, are you okay in there?" Xander's concerned voice came through the door.

'First things first,' Janna thought and that was why she would have to tell Xander, just what she believed was wrong with her, she stood up and exited the bathroom.

"I'm okay Alex and I think I know what's causing me to be sick so often," she told him as she sat down bringing him with her.

"What is it?" Xander asked.

"I'm pregnant," Janna answered, looking him straight in the eye.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking the Path Chapter 3

Alexander Harris stared at Janna as his thoughts came to a dead stop at her answer. He knew without doubt that she was not lying to him by the look in her eyes she was dead serious.

"Is it mine?" he asked, knowing it was a stupid question.

"I'll forgive you for asking that and put it down to shock," Janna said with a small smile. "But to put your mind back in gear, yes it is, as I have not slept with anyone but you since I came to Sunnydale not even Giles," she added.

Alexander quickly took her answer on board and processed it. He nodded, letting her know he understood. Before he asked himself the most important question he could at this moment in time and that was 'Am I ready to be a father?'

"Alex?" asked Janna, somewhat unsure of his continued silence.

"I'm okay Janna and I am happy about this," Xander assured her: "I really am beginning to care for you and this while unexpected is good news," he added, giving her a warm smile to convince her of his sincerity.

He had been surprised to find that the answer to his inner question had been a very solid 'yes'. Somewhere in his heart was the desire to be a father, even at this young age, it confused him, but he accepted it none the less.

He would stand by Janna no matter what happened with the others and no matter what happened with Angelus and any other vampire or demon.

Janna launched herself at her friend after his admission and pulled him into a deep hug. She was very happy with his answer due to her own emerging feelings towards her friend.

As they pulled away from each other their eyes locked and it was if they were pulled together by an invisible force and soon they were lost to sensation and feeling as their kissing became more passionate and soon became much more.

The next day Xander awoke once again to the strange sensation of being cuddled up next to someone- For one brief moment he believed he was once again waking up the day after the botched love spell, before the memory of the night before came back to him causing a smile to light up his face, as he looked across at Janna who was using his chest as her pillow.

He studied her features as she slept, the way her long black hair framed her face, whilst her features showed she was fully relaxed. He felt calm and loved which was something he used to only feel when he was near either his mother or Willow, as seen as his step father was usually drunk and prone to taking his temper out on him, whilst Buffy, Giles, Cordelia and Oz never really showed any real happiness with his company for various reasons.

Janna slowly woke from a very pleasant dream to find Xander watching her sleeping form with a smile on his face. She gave him a smile back before reaching upwards and bringing him down for a quick kiss.

"Morning," she said, as she pulled away.

"Hey beautiful," he replied, as he pulled himself away from her with a bit of regret for moving, as he went to get ready for school.

Janna watched as Xander redressed after a shower and went downstairs to cook breakfast, whilst she finally went for a shower herself. She could never have imagined how her life would change after Rupert had betrayed her just to keep Buffy happy. She had thought that she would go back home after she had done the spell, but instead she found herself falling in love with a young man, she had only thought of as a friend, before the botched love spell and not only was she falling in love with him, but she found herself now having a baby with him. Something she still found hard to believe, but she felt no fear from the fact or hesitation. Xander's response to the fact was a surprise, but a pleasant one.

Xander walked through the school, heading for the library, somewhat nervous and yet determined to try one more time to make the others see just how dangerous it was to allow Angelus to continue to live. Janna would be meeting him there with the disk she had saved the soul spell on.

He knew how Buffy would react to the news they might be able to bring Angel back, but he would die before he put Janna or his baby's life on the line for the ungrateful blond slayer. He came to a halt before the doors leading to the library and looked inside and noted that all of the gang were inside. He took a deep breath and entered, followed a second later by Janna who had just arrived behind him.

Buffy Summers looked up along with the others as someone entered the library and she scowled as she noted it was Xander and Jenny Calendar. The two people she hated most at the moment.

"What are you doing here?" Giles asked in a tight voice, as he looked at his former lover.

"We need to talk about an incident that happened last night," Xander replied taking the lead.

"Nothing happened last night. I would have known," Buffy said hotly.

"You don't patrol through the school Buffy, so you have no idea what's going on here during the night," Xander shot back.

"And how do you know what was going on then?" Buffy asked skeptically.

"Janna and I were here," Xander replied, as he sat followed by Janna. He motioned for the others to do the same which they did hesitantly.

"Why?" asked Giles, as he polished his glasses.

"For the last couple of weeks I have been trying to translate the soul spell my people originally used to curse Angelus," Janna began: "I have been spending a few hours a night at school using the computer, forgetting as Xander pointed out yesterday that it is a public building and vampires can enter at will," she continued. "Last night I completed the translation, however I was almost killed when Angelus turned up," she finished with a shiver, at how close she and her then unknown baby were to death.

"How did you survive if Angelus attacked you?" Oz asked speaking a bit more than usual to ask his question.

"After finding out what Janna was up to I tried to convince her not to use the school at night, but she refused due to how close to she was to completing the spell," Xander answered. "So I made sure I was there watching her back in case any vampires turned up and I was glad I did, when I saw Angelus turn up," he added, "I waited until Janna ran out of the computer room and then ambushed dead boy, surprising him," he finished.

"You're trying to say you beat Angel in a fight?" Buffy asked skeptically, as the others looked at their former friend in disbelief.

"No Buffy," Xander sighed. "I surprised him and we are alive due to the fact he wasn't expecting me to be there, as well as the fact that I retained certain skills from my possessions," he informed the others. "We escaped by sheer luck," he finished as if to simplify things.

The others shared a few looks between themselves after Xander had finished speaking. Buffy still looked skeptically, but the others were a bit more level headed about things and so decided to accept their versions of events for now.

"What about the spell you were attempting to translate?" Giles asked, pushing away the idea of Janna's brush with death. "Do you have it?" he asked.

"I do," Janna answered, as she handed the disk to Xander as they had discussed before.

"This disk could held the curse to re-curse Angelus with his soul and bring Angel back," Xander told them.

"Then let's do it now. She owes us for what she did," Buffy said, excitedly at the news she could have Angel back so soon.

"No," Janna told her clearly.

"What do you mean no? You have to so this," Buffy spat, getting angry.

"I will not do it because this spell is one of the blackest forms of magic known to exist," Janna tried to explain. "Without enough skill I or anyone else trying this spell could be either killed or infused with enough dark magic to corrupt their souls," she added.

"You're probably just saying that to spite me," Buffy shot back. "Giles?" she asked turning to her watcher.

"Soul magic, I'm afraid, is not something to mess around with, Buffy," Giles said, as he placed his glasses back on and stood up. "However considering we do not know what level of skill Jenny actually processes, she could be lying about whether or not she could do this spell," he continued.

Everyone turned to stare at Janna and Xander who shared a brief annoyed glance.

"I can't do it Giles and even if I might have been prepared to try before last night, I am not prepared to try now or every again," Janna told them angrily, as she too stood up.

"What's so different about last night and now?" Willow asked, with a confused frown.

Janna looked to where Xander now stood near the stacks. He had a weary look on his face and she knew he was not looking forward to discussing this subject.

"I would not be risking just my life," Janna finally answered, after a small nod from Xander.

"What do you mean?" Cordelia asked, looking accusingly between Janna and Xander.

"I am pregnant and if I did the spell, I would risk my baby's life and that is something I will not do," Janna explained.

"What?" Giles raged. "How can you be pregnant?" he demanded to know.

"Love spell," Xander mumbled, backing away from the incensed watcher before stopping and getting angry himself, as he realized something. "Wait a minute. Why are you angry? You dumped Janna when the curse broke, so what right do you have to act like she betrayed you?" Xander asked.

"It's yours, you cheating rat?" Cordelia shouted, jumping up.

"Yes it is Cordy and you have no right to be angry either, seen as you dumped me remember? If you hadn't done that, then I never would have gotten Amy to do the spell in the first place," Xander shot back.

Cordelia just glared at him hatefully, but before she could storm off Willow jumped into the conversation barley stopping herself crying, at what they had just learned.

"I'll do the spell then," she said with enthusiasm.

"Did you not hear me when I explained how dangerous this spell is?" Janna said, shocked at Willow's stupidity.

"I can do it, I'm sure I can," Willow countered.

"How Willow?" Xander asked "You've never done any magic in your life," he added.

"I'm sure Willow knows what she doing," Buffy defended her friend, "give me the disk, Xander?" she asked with a glare.

"No I won't. I will not let anyone risk their own lives for dead boy," Xander told them, as he held the disk up and then promptly snapped it in half, as Buffy tried to grab it.

"No, you moron," Buffy cried as the chance to get her lover back was destroyed.

"I knew you'd lose all perception on this, once you knew about the disk and once more you're just proving how selfish you are. Let's go Janna," Xander hissed, as he moved to the doors along with Janna.

"Hold it you two. We haven't finished yet," Giles spat angrily.

"Yes we have Giles, but we'll talk again believe me," Xander told the watcher, before exiting with Janna. Leaving a library full of shocked former friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Walking the Path Chapter 4

Xander sat at the back of the science classroom, thinking about the confrontation in the library. He was disappointed and angry by his former friend's reaction to everything especially Willow's.

It really annoyed him how much of an idiot his onetime lifelong friend was being, just to keep Buffy happy. He didn't even know if she actually realized what she had become, because as far as he was concerned she had become a sheep like Harmony, Aura and the rest of the Cordettes.

Buffy's response had been expected and had not bothered him too much. Giles and Cordelia's responses to the news he had gotten Janna pregnant was unexpected and rather idiotic. They had reacted as if he and Janna had betrayed them and not the other way around.

"Mister Harris will, you please pay attention to what I am saying," the voice of Mr. Jenson broke through his thoughts.

"Sorry," he said, although he felt anything but as this lesson was unimportant compared at what was happening at night.

"Then perhaps you would like to answer the question I just asked?" Mr. Jenson asked.

"I can't sir. I don't know what the answer is," he admitted.

"Then I suggest you pay closer attention in the future," Mr. Jenson told him with a glare, which was mirrored by Buffy, Willow and Cordelia who were seated to the side of him.

Janna Kalderdash sat at the head of her own classroom as the students she was currently teaching used the computers in silence as she had ordered.

This gave her sometime to go over the events of the morning. She was slightly worried for Xander's safety now that Giles knew he had gotten her pregnant. His reaction this morning had been disturbing. He had turned on her as soon as her identity and mission had been revealed and yet now he was acting as if she had cheated on him and knowing Giles's past it gave her some concerns that he wouldn't try and get some revenge on Xander.

One thing to come from the meeting was the fact that Xander had been right about how Buffy would react and it had shocked her how little Buffy cared for someone's safety when weighed against her own wants. When Willow had offered to do the spell the slayer had not even registered what it could do her friend, who was not even a novice when it came to magic.

During the dinner break Buffy and the others agreed to meet up and discuss what had happened that morning.

When she and the others entered the library they found Giles pacing the library muttering to himself, his face one of anger. They were surprised by his reaction to the news that Jenny Calendar was pregnant. They had believed he had gotten over their computer teacher, but it was now clear he had not.

"Giles?" Buffy asked.

Rupert Giles turned to face them and tried to keep his face clear of the anger he had been feeling since that morning.

"Hello Buffy," he said, as he sat down motioning the others to do the same.

"So what do we do Giles?" Cordelia asked, her own anger at Xander's confession.

"Xander has willfully destroyed the disk which contained the soul spell, ending any chance of saving Angel and stopping Angelus," Giles started. "Jenny stated she couldn't perform the spell due to it been too dangerous, however I still believe, as we do not know her level of skill, that she still could have been lying about that," he added, allowing some of his anger to drive him.

"Could we get her to translate the spell again?" Buffy asked, her desire to have her boyfriend back overriding almost everything else.

"It's a possibility," Giles nodded.

"But she won't do the spell Giles," Willow reminded them. "She said it would harm her baby," trying not to cry at the memory of learning Xander had gotten someone else pregnant.

Silence met this comment, as everyone remembered the moment they had that bit of information dropped on them.

"She could have been lying about that too," Oz suggested.

"I do not believe she was," Giles said through clenched teeth. "They were too reluctant to give up that information and they would not have done that I believe, if they weren't too busy trying to impress on us the danger of the soul spell," he added.

"Well we have to do something. We can't let Xander get away with this," Buffy hissed. "He has made sure Angel stays dead," she added.

"At the moment I am at a loss as to a course of action, but I believe the soul spell may be our best bet about doing something about Angelus," he informed them.

"So you think we should get her to translate the spell again ?" Willow asked.

"Yes I do," Giles answered.

"We'll tell her next time we see her," Cordelia said.

Angelus walked through the factory, still trying to piece together what to do about Harris. His experience at the school had changed his view of the annoying clown. The skills he processed were obviously granted by left over bits of his possessions, including his greater speed. He now remembered what Buffy had told Angel about Xander being possessed by a hyena.

"What's wrong mate?" Spike asked, as he wheeled up to him.

"Nothing, go away," Angelus replied.

Spike just smiled at him before turning his wheelchair around and moving away as his smile grew. Anything that annoyed the big pounce was a good thing in his book.

Xander walked into Janna's home that night, feeling tiered after what he viewed as a long day. The only thing that had stopped him walking out of the school was Amy's and Janna's presence.

Janna was already sitting on the sofa, drinking a cup of tea. She gave him a smile as he sat down opposite her.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Long, after dinner Buffy and the others found me and demanded I translate the soul spell again," Janna told him.

"They what?" he asked, instantly angry.

Janna just nodded at him, understanding his reaction. She was still shocked at the way Buffy and the others were acting.

"Did they also insist you do the spell?" he asked, with a growl of frustration.

"No, I think Willow has convinced the others she can control the magic," Janna answered. "She can't Alex. She has no idea what kind of magic is involved," she added. "Also she hasn't even done a single spell in her life and she expects to jump into the deep end and succeed," she finished with a sigh of annoyance.

"That's her arrogance," Xander told her. "She has always succeed in what she has put her mind to, in regards to her studies or computing, but sometimes she gets carried away, thinking she can do anything," he continued: "It's one of the reasons Jessie and I were her only friends at school. She had a tendency to tell people her idea of right and wrong and expected them to accept it, when all it did was annoy them," he told her.

"Well that arrogance coupled with her desire to please Buffy is either going to kill her or corrupt her soul permanently," Janna warned him.

Xander just nodded his head as he stood and walked over to the window. Janna placed her cup of tea down and walked into the kitchen to make Xander one.

Xander walked over to Janna's mantelpiece, he noted a sword hung on the wall covered in a very elegant scabbard. He ran his hand over the pummel and then grasped it. He was immediately infused with an influx of magic as if the blade was coated in it. He pulled the blade out of the scabbard and held the sword up as he looked at it.

The blade was middle sized and had runes carved into the middle of it. The pummel was coated in silver and gold and finally a purple tendril of magic seemed to run over the blade.

"Oh," Janna's gasp of surprise broke him out of his inspection of the sword.

"What's wrong Janna?" he asked, as he lowered the sword.

"Alex that sword is a relic of my people. It is infused with the ancient magic of my people and can only be wielded by Romany," she told him.

He stared at her as she answered his question. His hand gripped the blade a bit more tightly before he realized something.

"Then how did I pull the sword?" he asked.

"There is only one way Alex and that is you must have Romany blood in your veins," she told him, as she placed the cup of tea, she had made for him, down on the table. "You said the man who is married to your mother is actually your step father, right?" she asked, trying to fight her shock at this development.

"Yes," he answered slowly, as the magic of the sword continued to pulse through him.

"Then it's possible your actual father could have been of Romany descent, unless of course your mother is," Janna told him, as she came to a halt in front of him and placed her hand on the sword and feeling the same influx of magic.

"We'll have to talk to Mom," Xander whispered, as he laid his head on her shoulders.

"The sooner we do, the better it would be. If I am right then it raises other issues, but we can get to them later, let's go," she told him.

Xander placed the sword back into the scabbard on the wall, missing the magic of the sword instantly.

"I just want to use your phone to call Kendra," he told her.

"Ok," Janna told him, still reeling with the possibility of Xander being Romany.

Xander walked over to the phone and picked it up, hoping Kendra or her watcher were in and would agree to help them. He punched in the number he had stolen off Giles and agreed to accept the charges.

"Hello?" a cultured British voice answered.

"Mr. Zabuto?" he asked.

"Yes who is this?" the voice asked.

"My name is Xander Harris. I need to talk to Kendra," he answered.

"About what?" the voice asked, now cautious.

"We have a situation in Sunnydale and we need her help," he told him.

"Hold on," the voice told him.

A few seconds later and another voice came through the phone. This one was female.

"Xander?" the voice asked.

"Hi Kendra," Xander replied, glad she remembered him. "Listen, Angelus is loose and carving a bloody path through Sunnydale. Buffy refuses to fight him and even let him go when she had him at her mercy," he briefed her. "Giles is allowing her to do this and will not make her kill him," he added. "We need your help, Mr. Zabuto's too if he will agree to come," he finished.

"I understand. We'll be on a plane tonight," Kendra's voice came back confidently.

"Thanks. See you soon," Xander told her.

"Bye," Kendra said, before she hung up, as did Xander.

"Well?" Janna asked.

"She said she and her watcher will be on a plane tonight, which means they should arrive by midday tomorrow," Xander told her, as he walked to the door, followed by Janna as they headed to speak to his mother.

"What is wrong Kendra?" Mr. Zabuto asked.

"Angelus is loose and Buffy refuses to stop him," Kendra answered, shocked that her sister slayer could allow such a thing, before she remembered how much Buffy loved the vampire.

"And Mr. Giles?" Mr. Zabuto asked again.

"He will not force her to act. Xander has requested our help," she told him.

"And who is Xander?" her watcher continued to question her.

"One of Buffy's friends I told you about, who are helping her," she replied. "He can be trusted to know a bad situation," she added.

"I will book two plane tickets immediately," Mr. Zabuto told her, as he began to grow uneasy about how such a situation could get worse on the Hellmouth, whilst Kendra looked to the phone and knew this time she would not hesitate to kill the vampire, not even Buffy would stop her.


	5. Chapter 5

Walking the Path Chapter 5

Jessica Harris looked up as her son entered the kitchen, followed by a woman she did not know, they looked slightly nervous.

"Alex, who is your friend?" she asked.

"Where's he?" Xander asked meaning his step father

"He's out working at the moment, thankfully. He's driving a truck load to New York," she informed him.

Xander breathed a sigh of relief to know he would not have to deal with his step father, whilst he was here, especially considering the reason he had brought Janna here in the first place.

"Mom, this is Janna Kalderdash," Xander introduced, noting the way his mom paled a little at the name.

"You recognize the name don't you?" Janna asked Xander's mother.

"Yes I do," Jessica responded as she sat down. She realized that the past was about to finally catch up with her.

"Mom, are you Romany?" Xander asked nervously.

"No I'm not, but your father, your real father was," she answered. "He was the son of the chief of the Lavelle tribe, his father fell victim to an internal revolt by his advisor," she told him. "His mother escaped along with him and they fled to America where he grew up and where we eventually met," she continued. "Your father told me he had to leave two years after you were born, it seems that his father's advisor had sent assassins after him," she finished.

"Is he alive?" Xander asked, trying to keep his shock under control.

"I don't know Alex. He might be a prisoner back in his home land," she answered. "He made sure before he left to make me promise to remarry so we would be hidden by the name change," she added. "Lavelle isn't on your birth certificate Alex. I just made sure you knew it as it is actually your real birth surname," she explained.

"Did you know what he was like before you married him?" he asked.

"When I met your step dad he was different, it was only after we were married that he showed his true colors and by then it was too late," she answered. "I'm sorry Alex, but to ensure our safety we had to stay here," she tried to make him understand.

Xander remained silent as he took all of this on board, whilst Janna was wide eyed as she learned that Xander was not only Romany, but also actually the rightful heir of the Lavelle tribe.

She had heard about the revolt which had led to Radrik Lavelle's coming to power and turning most of the tribe dark by boosting their lust for conquer. Those who desired power and wealth supported him, whilst those who had stayed loyal were basically prisoners.

This increased the danger they now faced if Radrik learned not only of Xander's existence, but also of their child, who would become Xander's heir.

"Alex if your father is alive and a prisoner of his enemies he must be staying quite or they would have known of your existence and they would be searching for you," Jessica told him.

"Why, how am I a threat?" he asked.

"Xander, you are the rightful heir of the tribe." It was Janna who answered "That's means until you are dead they won't stop hunting you, as long as you're alive there's the threat you might return home and challenge Radrik for control of the tribe," she continued. "And now there's another complication to this story," she said softly.

"What?" Jessica asked confused at the looks Xander and Janna were passing.

"Janna is pregnant," Xander admitted. "It's mine," he added.

"How, she is at least four years older than you," Sarah gasped.

"That's about right actually," Janna nodded in agreement. "The actual pregnancy came about due to a botched love spell, but Alexander and I have been falling in love anyway," she explained.

Jessica sat back, shocked at this bit of news before the more important bit of information came back to her and that was that her son was about to become a father and that made her a grandmother. This shocked her to the core.

"Mom you okay?" Xander asked.

"I'm a little shocked," Jessica admitted. "Alex if you want your child to be safe you're going to have to deal with your Romany side as quickly as possible," she continued.

"What are you suggesting?" Xander asked.

"You're going to have to find Radrik and the rest of the Lavelle tribe and challenge him for control," Jessica told him. "It's the only option you have," she finished.

"She's right Alex. If Radrik ever finds out about you or our child we'll be in serious trouble," Janna joined in. "But any challenge will be to the death," she told him, with a flinch at telling her friend and now lover he must take a life.

Xander looked between his mother and Janna and tried to come up with something to counter their words, but nothing came to him and he knew they were right, to protect his family he would have to cross the line and kill someone and yet a part of him knew he would be willing to do this, because he would be protecting the most important people in his life and may even save his father if he was still alive.

"Ok," he finally spoke. "But first we deal with Angelus and then we can think about dealing with Radrik and the danger he represents," he added.

"I think Alex you need to fill me in on what's been going on. I might be able to help you," Jessica said.

"How?" Xander asked.

"I can do magic Alex, your father taught me and even though I hadn't used it since your father had to leave I can still do it," his mother answered.

Xander looked at Janna who nodded at him and so they began to give a detailed version of everything that had happened in Sunnydale since Buffy had arrived.


	6. Chapter 6

Walking the Path Chapter 6

Jessica Harris stared at her son and his lover Jenny with one question still confusing her and that was what had started Alexander in thinking about his true origins.

"Alex what happened to make you start questioning your birth origins?" she asked.

"Janna has a sword on her wall at home, a relic of her people. One infused with the ancient magic of her people," he started before he corrected himself, "Our people and I managed to pull it from its scabbard which should have been impossible if I had no Romany blood in me, but as I have I could use it," he finished.

"The sword is more than just a relic," Jessica told them, surprised to learn that the ancient blade was so close.

"Janna?" Xander asked.

"There's an old legend that states that the sword was once used by the ancient kings of the Romany people when they were united in one kingdom, back when Vlad Tepes ruled Wallachia," she informed him.

"Vlad Tepes, you mean Dracula?" Xander asked confused.

"Yes," Janna answered. "Vlad was indeed a vampire, but only after the murder of his first wife," she added. "The myth which we know today is used as a smoke screen, because most people do not believe in vampires," she added. "Vlad is no demonic vampire Alex. He's a completely different type of beast. He ruled the original Romany kingdom," she continued. "He vanished a hundred years later and was succeeded by a host of human kings, each wielded the sword until the kingdom broke up into tribes and the in-fighting began. The sword passed from tribe to tribe during the wars and then the Kalderdash came into possession of it," she finished.

"So did Vlad create the sword?" Xander asked.

"Yes he did according to the ancient legend. Whether it is true or not, I have no idea, but he wielded the sword during the wars with the Turks," Janna answered.

"What happened to Vlad?" Xander asked, worried about being told about other forms of vampires.

"That is a mystery that has continued to elude our people Alex, some believe that if he can be found he will be able to reform the kingdom and stop the infighting," Janna explained.

"Is he evil?" Xander wanted to know what kind of threat this new type of vampire was.

"He dislikes the human race because they murdered his wife," Janna continued to answer him, as she recalled all of her history lessons from her father.

"Why?" he asked. Surprised about the fact, that he actually disliked the information she gave him.

"They accused her of marrying an evil spirit and bringing doom on their nearby village. The fact that she gave birth to a son only added to their anger," she told him, aware that Jessica was nodding along with her, making her realize she knew this. "Vlad was at that time half human and it was this event that made him choose to shed his mortal life and become a full vampire. He destroyed the village and was stopped from going further by his own son," she added. "Now fifty years later he married again and had a daughter and both of his children soon became vampires as well," she continued.

"The sword is the key," Xander mused.

"What do you mean Alex?" his mother asked.

"If Vlad forged the sword and he imbued it with magic then it must be tuned to his spirit and so it should lead a strong enough person to him wherever he is, if he is still alive," Xander told them, as the idea hit him.

"Do we actually want to find Vlad?" his mother asked the two Romany.

"Killing Radrik may not solve the full problem mom, others would come wanting control or other tribes would want to wipe out ours," Janna answered. "If the legend is true and not some myth then finding Vlad may be the only way to fully ensure the safety of not just our baby, but every future generation of Romany to come," Janna said, with hope of ending the internal war between the tribes.

"If you're right then we have a long journey ahead of us," Alex said, thinking about the possibility of trying to find Vlad.

"He may not want to be found, depending on what made him vanish in the first place," Jessica put in.

"True," Xander agreed, "but to protect our family and future generations I am willing to try," Xander told her.

"Me too," Janna agreed.

"I will help anyway I can, especially if it uncovers the truth about your father's fate," Jessica pledged.

"What happened to his children?" Xander asked, having forgotten to ask before his sudden idea had hit him.

"They vanished as well," Janna answered, as she leaned against Xander.

Somewhere on another plain of existence a tall well dressed man stood looking down at a pool of water, which showed the kitchen of Xander's mother's house and the conversation they were having, as he watched a short red headed woman came up beside him.

"His quest is almost upon him," the man spoke in a deep rich voice.

"Almost," the woman agreed. Looking fondly at the picture of Xander, which was reflected in the pool before her.

"He must face Angelus and his kin first and there is no guarantee he will survive," a third figure added, as a shorter man approached the two around the pool.

"Alexander will not fail his task," the woman responded hotly.

"Agreed," the tall man nodded. "Angelus and his kin are but pebbles to the tasks that lie before Alexander and his future group of friends," he added, looking sternly at the shorter man.

"I mean no disrespect my lord," the short man quickly spoke, "but I fail to see why you can put so much faith in the boy," he added.

"You powers think too much of yourselves and your selected champions," the woman spat. "Just because you did not choose Alexander, it does not mean he is useless," she added.

The shorter man refused to answer, but he glared at the woman who returned it with as much venom.

"Enough," the first man finally spoke, once again irritated by his subordinates actions and dislike for one another. "We are all fighting the same war and we all have our own chosen champions," he added. "Powered or empowered, neither of you should be attacking each other," he said with a shake of his head.

"Sorry my lord," they both mumbled.

"The powers will stay away from Alexander and those destined to join. Is that understood?" the man asked forcefully.

"Yes my lord," the shorter man replied, before fading away.

"And you should stop provoking him Cassandra," he said, turning to the woman. "Alexander maybe of your line, but do not allow that to influence your judgment," he cautioned. "As much as you want him to succeed and survive you cannot allow that to cause friction with the powers that be."

"I know my lord," Cassandra answered, "but Alexander is the only one who can bring my shattered people back together," she continued. "He does not know that he has a connection to me and through me to Vlad and his kin," she finished.

"Vlad himself does not know you had a child before you married him," the man reminded her.

"I know and that is to be one of Alexander's greatest problems when Vlad finds out," Cassandra admitted gloomy at the thought of her husband murdering one of her last actual descendants in one of his explosions of anger.

She knew Vlad had loved her and even after her death he continued to love her. The fact that he had remarried had not bothered her, as she knew it was part of life and she also knew Vlad had desired another child.

She had not admitted to him the truth about the child she had when she was twenty, in fear of his rejection and now that secret had to be revealed in order to hopefully bring her people back from the eventual brink of extinction.

"I have to have faith, that Vlad will overcome the darkness within himself when the time comes," Cassandra whispered.

"That is still a long way off. Alexander has much to learn and do, before he is ready to come face to face with Vlad or his kin," the man reminded her.

"True my lord, but something tells me he may meet either my son or step daughter sooner than we think," Cassandra replied.

"Anything is possible, that is both the reward and the curse of free will," the man said, as he turned back to the pool to find Alexander was now approaching the library of the high school again.

"For now all we can do is watch and wait," he told her.

Xander walked towards the school library, full of nerves and yet he was determined to see if he could find anything to help fight Angelus or any of his childe's whilst trying to ignore everything he had learned in the last day and a half. He took a deep breath before walking in to find Giles sitting at the table, staring absently at the book on the table.

"Giles?" he asked.

The watcher looked up at hearing the voice of the one person he did not want to have to talk to for a while.

"What do you want?" he asked annoyed.

"I just want to look through the library for anything on Angelus and the others," he told him.

"Why?" Giles asked with a frown.

"You and Buffy may be willing to allow him to run around without trying to stop him, but I intend to stop him," Xander answered.

"We could have stopped him, if you had not destroyed that disk," Giles reminded him.

"Tell me Giles were you really willing to risk Janna's life to bring a vampire back into line, just to make Buffy happy?" Xander asked.

"Get out," Giles spat, as he stood up.

Xander shook his head, turned and left the library, knowing he would get no help from Giles for a while.

Janna watched as Jessica looked at the sword she held in her hand. Xander's mother was truly amazed to see the sword William had told her about. Janna's tale and the promise it may provide awed her.

"How do you really feel about my son?" Jessica asked, as she finally sat down.

Janna sat across from her and smiled at the protectiveness in Jessica's voice. It made her happy to know there was still someone else, beside her and Amy who still cared for Alex.

"I am falling in love with him Jessica. Something I did not see coming, but I am not fighting it," Janna answered. "This child we are going to have, will be hopefully one of many," she added with a smile, as she remembered her teenage dreams of having a big family.

"I am glad to hear that," Jessica replied, as she settled back into the sofa and began to get to know her future daughter in law.


	7. Chapter 7

Walking the Path Chapter 7

L.A Airport

Xander stood at the airport terminal along with Janna and Jessica, awaiting the arrival of Kendra and her watcher. The fact that the African slayer had jumped on the earliest plane to get to Sunnydale pleased Xander immensely, as it meant she took him seriously.

The one thing he actually found pleasing about his split from Buffy and the others was that he didn't have to hear them belittle him anymore, especially Buffy. He looked down to where his hand held Janna's and he felt an inner peace he had not felt in a while. He then looked to his left to where his mother stood, looking a lot happier since she had decided to file for a divorce from her husband in light of the journey they would undertake, once they had dealt with Angelus and his kin.

Of course the decision had also come out of the fact, that just maybe there would be a hope of finding his father still alive, when they returned to the Lavelle clan. Finally his attention rested on the terminal again, as he noticed Kendra finally emerge from the gate, followed by an older Asian man who had to be Sam Zabuto.

"Xander," Kendra nodded at him, as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Hey Kendra," Xander returned. "Mr. Zabuto, a pleasure to meet you," he added, as the Asian man came to a stop.

"Same to you Mr. Harris," Mr. Zabuto responded with a grim smile.

"Don't call me that please, it's just Xander," Xander told him with a wince.

"Very well," Mr. Zabuto said, with a frown at Xander's tone.

"We better get moving. It'll be night fall when we arrive," Janna spoke at the tension that filled the silence that followed.

"Our car is this way. We'll fill you in properly as we go," Xander told them, as he turned and began walking towards the car.

Buffy Summers was having a bad week, made all the worse by her former friends actions since the botched love spell. She hated him and that Romany harlot he was hanging around with. She blamed her even more than Xander.

She didn't understand how Xander could choose to stand by Miss Calendar's side, rather than by his friends after everything she had done for him. She was happy Giles was at least staying loyal to her and had dumped the computer teacher.

Any chance of repairing their friendship had been destroyed when Xander had destroyed the disk that held the soul curse, which could have saved Angel. She knew from Giles that Xander was trying to find some way of killing Angel and she had decided to stop him, until she had gotten Miss Calendar to retranslate the Soul curse and performed it as payment for her betrayal.

"So what happened?" Kendra asked, as they drove back to Sunnydale after picking up their luggage.

"It's a long story Kendra, but sadly it has no happy ending and will most likely destroy the group completely," Xander replied.

"It sounds as if Mr. Giles has lost control of Miss Summers from what Kendra told me of your conversation last night," Mr. Zabuto commented.

"He has," Janna answered. "Rupert follows Buffy's lead in everything concerning the Slayer these days, including her decision to allow Angelus to survive and escape his destruction at the mall," she added.

"It's hard to believe that someone with Mr. Giles reputation could allow something like this to happen," Mr. Zabuto said with a shake of his head.

"He's changed a lot since the end of last year," Xander spoke up. "I think he felt guilty about almost allowing her to die, when we discovered she was prophecies to die at the hands of the master," he added. "He believed as he was trained to believe that there was nothing he could do to save her and when I refused to listen and saved her, he felt like he let her down and I think that affected him badly," he continued.

"I see," Mr. Zabuto said with distaste. "We will have to come back to that later, for now tell us what has led to this situation." he said.

Xander spent most of the ride explaining everything he could of the situation, bar the more personal discoveries he had learned about himself. He wasn't ready to tell anyone about his own link to the Romany tribes.

"This is bad. I take it Miss Summers will not be of any help in taking Angelus down?" Mr. Zabuto asked.

"I'm afraid not, in fact if she learns you guys are in town and after Angelus, Kendra may find herself facing off against Buffy to kill Angelus," Xander replied with a dark frown.

"I will do my duty, no matter what and if that means I have to go through Buffy to do it then I will," Kendra told them with determination.

"I hope it doesn't come to that Kendra. I really don't," Xander said, not liking the idea of the two slayers going head to head, as it would only help Angelus.

"You will have our help Mr. Zabuto and before you question that, Xander is an able fighter, which he proved to be by having saved my life by beating Angelus as he tried to kill me. Jessica and I can also help because we are witches," Janna told the Asian watcher.

"Janna I told you I got lucky," Xander interrupted.

"I think luck played less in your victory than you think. It was more likely his over confidence and the skills you have managed to keep from your possessions that helped," Janna shot back.

"Anyway you won't be going into this alone," Jessica decided to stop the small argument, before it could escalate.

Kendra nodded her head with a small smile, having gotten used to how the Sunnydale crew worked and was not averse to having help, as she had read up on how dangerous Angelus and his kin were, especially together.

Up on the other plain of existence Cassandra and the tall man watched the car entering Sunnydale. Both were certain that with the help of the true slayer Alexander would destroy Angelus quite quickly and then he would be free to start his quest.

"The time has almost come," Cassandra said with a smile.

"You are more involved in this than is good for you," the tall man cautioned her.

"I cannot help myself my lord," Cassandra admitted. "I have waited a long time for Alexander to be born and even more for him to start his quest and now that moment is so close, I find myself almost wishing I could aide him more directly," she added.

"I know you do, but you cannot. I may allow you to give advice from time to time, but not yet. He must prove that he is worthy of such help," the tall man said with a smile.

"He will prove it my lord. He will not fail with his family's future on the line," Cassandra told him. "They will be his greatest strength, especially Janna," she added.

"Yes," the tall man nodded in agreement, "Janna will be the one who will teach him how to survive when he travels to the gypsy tribes," he told her.

Xander was lying on the couch at Janna's house and was deep in thoughts. Twenty four hours ahead, when he and the others would begin their hunt for Angelus, he knew it will be dangerous, but he was determined to destroy the insane vampire.

Janna entered the room and quickly curled up next to him, pulling a blanket over them with a smile as she felt save.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Actually I think so, now that Kendra is here to help," he answered.

"You like her?" she asked timidly.

"Not like that, she's a friend Janna, that's all," Xander reassured her.

Janna nodded her head, a little unsettled by her small bout of jealously and she realized that she was still getting over the sudden loss of Giles. His actions had ended their relationship faster than normal and she was just starting to explore her love for Xander and was afraid of it ending too sudden, even though she knew in her heart that Xander wouldn't leave her.

"We better get some rest," Xander told her, as he kissed her before closing his eyes and began to fall asleep, followed closely by Janna.


	8. Chapter 8

Walking the Path Chapter 8

From the bedroom Kendra had been set up in, at Xander's mother's house, she looked out over the darkened streets of Sunnydale, she wanted to be out patrolling, but Xander and Mr. Zabuto had agreed that they should rest for tonight and prepare for a very long day.

Mr. Zabuto had prevailed over Xander and Janna to set up a meeting with Buffy and her group, to try and get them to help them destroy Angelus and his kin. Kendra was hoping she would not have to face off against her sister slayer in a serious fight to do her duty, but she had an uneasy feeling that would be what she would have to do, especially after Xander had told her how Buffy had been acting lately.

She could tell that Xander and Janna were not looking forward to the meeting due to the arguments that had happened during the other meetings. Tensions were obviously running high in Sunnydale and Kendra was sure they would get worse.

Sam Zabuto sat writing in his watcher's diary about the new situation that had arisen and the choices they had made so far, to deal with the problem. He was still disturbed by the events in Sunnydale and the actions of Rupert Giles and his Slayer Buffy Summers. Xander's report had been very detailed and it showed just how far the Sunnydale Slayer had fallen from the council's teachings, but it was the appalling actions of her watcher that concerned him most; Rupert Giles had a very good reputation within the council and to hear he had walked away from it all, just to please his slayer who it would seem he cared for more than was supposed to be allowed.

He, like most young watchers these days wanted the Council to relax the laws against the Slayers, but he did believe in keeping them under control as an out of control Slayer would be a living nightmare for the Council to deal with.

He sighed as he sat back in his chair and wondered if he would be able to persuade Mr. Giles to take his Slayer back in hand and force her to help Kendra destroy Angelus. If Xander and Miss Kalderdash were too believed he better not count on it.

Jessica Harris, soon to be Jessica Lavelle again, sat in her living room thinking over the sudden changes that had hit her life and couldn't help but be happy about them. Her son was in love with a beautiful woman, who also happened to be pregnant with his child which when born would make her a grandmother. The changes may also finally shed light on the fate of William Lavelle, her first husband and the only man she had ever truly loved.

If Xander's father was still alive, she hoped that one day in the future she would see him again and be able to talk about what has happened to them in the years they had been forced to separate. She wondered how Alex would handle meeting his true father for the first time. She guessed he would be nervous, but would hide it well.

She looked across the living room and wondered how her son was coping with all the truths he had learned in the last two days. She knew he seemed to be handling it, but how he was coping on the inside was another matter altogether. She hoped things would run a little smoother for a while, so Alex could come to grips with what he had learned.

Angelus stalked through the graveyard hoping to come up against Harris, but so far he had no luck. He knew he had a slim chance of actually finding Harris out at night on his own, but something told him that the kid had such a thing for saving people he might not be able to resist patrolling.

He shook his head and growled in annoyance as he once again had to settle for just killing the few people foolish enough to be out that night. He wanted to gut Harris for saving the gypsy witch and getting the better of him in their fight, but so far he had not had any luck in bringing Harris into a fight again.

An idea suddenly struck him and he smirked evilly, as he considered who Harris would risk his life for, even taking into account recent events which he had heard had happened. In the end he came to two choices the kid's mother or Rosenberg. He decided to hit both of them the next night and then send word to Harris what he had done, knowing it would defiantly bring the kid out of his house. If luck was with him it may even bring him another shot at the gypsy.

Xander's eyes shot open as the nightmare he had just had left him. He breathed in deeply and then exhaled and tried to forget the images his imagination had conjured up. He looked down to find Janna resting against him, with a smile upon her face clearly asleep. He didn't know how he had gotten so lucky to have such a beautiful woman in love with him, but he thanked whatever power was responsible. He slowly eased himself out from under Janna and made sure the blanket fully covered her before going to the toilet.

When he came back into the living room his eyes were drawn to the sword that rested on the wall. He walked over to it and pulled it from the scabbard. As soon as the sword was in his hand he again felt the influx of magic. It was as if the magic was burrowing into him. It was powerful magic and according to Janna ancient and if the legend was true placed on the sword by Dracula himself.

His mind wondered to the mystery of Vlad Tepes, who became Dracula due to the murder of his wife. He found himself angered by what the villagers had done and also very little sorrow on their eventual fate at the hands of the greatest vampire to ever live. He also remembered what Janna had told him, Dracula was not a demonic vampire, but something else entirely and that scared him a little.

He let his eyes wander over the blade, until they rested on the runes in the centre of the blade. He concentrated on them, wondering what they meant. Suddenly the runes began to glow in a intensely bright white light and then it faded again. He was puzzled for a second, until he felt a slight pressure in the back of his mind. It felt like his mind was been probed for information. It lasted for a few minutes and then the pressure was gone, leaving Xander with the belief someone had just read his mind to determine who he was and what he wanted the sword for. It had also left him with the impression that whoever had done it was actually pleased with what he had found.

He placed the sword back in its scabbard and then went and lay back down next to Janna. He would tell her what had happened in the morning, but something told him what had happened was not a bad thing.

Somewhere in England on top of an old manor stood a tall figure, insulated against the raging storm that was taking place. He wore a long blood red coat, a black hat and his eyes were covered by orange tinted glasses. The being smiled, as it withdrew from the mind of the bearer of his sword. He was the one the legends spoke of. He may not had stepped a foot in his native land in a century, but he knew all of the legends that his people had either created or formed since he had vanished.

Alucard, as he was known at this time of his life, wondered how long it would be until the young man came to find him. From his search of his mind he had discovered that he was involved in a fight with a dangerous demonic vampire and his followers and only when he had destroyed them would he turn his attention to the task of finding the undead king. It had been a century since anyone had thought of him as Dracula or Vlad Tepes, bar his children. He knew the sword would now help the young man in his quest and the longer the sword was wielded the more power he would be able to draw from it. He would need training in how to deal with that kind of ancient magic and so he decided when he held the blade again he would find the location of the young man and send his daughter Lilith to train him.

Out of his two children Lilith had more talent when it came to learning and using the ancient magic of their people. His son Adrian was more talented in hand to hand combat and weapons. He knew Sir Integra might become concerned about this development, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. He had always known that one day one of his people would come looking for him and it would seem that that time had come now.

On the other plain of existence Cassandra watched her husband come to his decision and smiled. He was moving a little faster than she had thought he would, by sending her step daughter to train Alexander in the ancient arts, but they were skills young Alexander would need in the future.

It was not often she watched her husband and the rest of their family, as it caused her too much pain to be so far from them, as each was an immortal they would not join her on this plain for a very long time and that hurt, even though she knew they were keeping the world safe from the evil's that were building to destroy them.

Alexander's quest would have far reaching effects in the war between light and dark. It would forge alliances that would be needed in the times to come, bringing many defenders together in times of need and yet she knew there would always be a price for this to balance things out.

She sighed as she switched the viewing well to Alexander to find him still fast sleep, holding Janna tightly in his arms not knowing just how much his life was about to change.

"Be strong Alexander," she whispered softly into his mind. "Your time is coming and you must stand true to your path and not falter," she added, before turning and walking away. Watched by the tall man who usually stood by the well, he just gave her a small nod to say he would allow this contact before he too walked away.

Back in Sunnydale Xander woke for a few seconds, as a woman's voice began to speak from the distant horizon of his dreamscape. His eyes opened for a second, as confusion washed over him before he sighed and decided to work it out in the morning.


	9. Chapter 9

Walking the Path Chapter 9

Xander woke to find Janna watching him, whilst he slept. She wore a small smile on her face as she rested against him.

"Morning," she said, before she lent forward and kissed him.

"Hey," he returned as he stretched. "We need to have a talk. Something strange happened last night while you were asleep," he told her.

"What?" she asked, suddenly concerned.

"I woke up after a nightmare and after I went to the toilet I found myself drawn to the sword," he started, as he recalled the previous night. "I drew it and held it up so I could look at the blade. I felt drawn to the runes in its centre and after a few seconds they began to glow brightly," he continued, as Janna's face grew more concerned. "After the light faded I felt something enter my mind. It was looking for information, as to what I wanted the blade for," he informed her. "It wasn't an evil presence, but it was powerful. I think I was Vlad," he finished.

"Why do you think that?" Janna asked in surprise, as she caressed his face.

"First the sword was forged by Vlad and imbued with magic by him, so he would have a connection to it," Xander answered. "Second he would be one of a small handful of people who would have the power to send his mind over such a long distance, as I get the feeling he must be somewhere far from where we are," he added.

Janna thought about her lover's answer and found she could find no point to argue with, if indeed Vlad had sensed Alex with the blade, then he must have also sensed why he wanted to use it, which meant he was aware of the quest they would embark on, once Angelus was dealt with.

"Did you get any idea as to how he felt about being located?" she asked.

"Nothing like that, I was too surprised by the sudden intrusion," Xander replied. "But I don't think he's a threat to us," he mused.

"Why do you think that?" Janna asked, even though she too did not think of Vlad Tepes as an enemy due to her upbringing, but considering Alexander's life so far she expected him to be weary of Dracula until he had met him.

"I can't say for sure, but I think if he was a threat he would have arrived here to claim the sword, as soon as he sensed me holding it," Xander explained, to which Janna nodded in agreement.

"Anything else?" she inquired.

"Just one more thing," Xander replied as he remembered the voice that had woken him for a few seconds. "After I lay back down and fell asleep again, I was woken for a second or two by a voice," he told his lover. "It was a woman's voice and it sounded concerned," he added.

"What did this voice say?" Janna asked, worried by this new event.

"She told me, 'Be strong Alexander. Your time is coming and you must stand true to your path and not falter' and then the voice was gone," he repeated what the voice had told him.

"Any idea who that voice belonged too?" Janna asked, as she pressed herself against Alex without thinking as her worry grew.

"No," Xander answered. "But I get the feeling something bigger is going on and someone or something is very interested in us," he added.

"We'll have to be careful then," Janna said with a sigh. "But for now we better get up, as we have to met Jessica and the others, before we meet up with Buffy for what I am guessing will be an explosive meeting," she told him.

"You're right," Xander agreed, kissing Janna one more time before they both got up and got ready for the day ahead.

Jessica was just serving Kendra and Mr. Sabuto breakfast, when Xander and Janna entered the kitchen. They sat down after exchanging pleasantries with the others.

"So how do you think the meeting will go?" Kendra asked, as she ate the meal Jessica had made.

"Horrible," Janna answered. "Buffy and Giles will become so angry that they will hardly listen to a thing we have to say," she added.

"The others will most likely follow their lead, especially Willow," Xander spoke up. "Oz may be the only one to actually think things through, but he will discard what he comes up with just to keep Willow happy, as he fears losing her as was shown during the botched love spell," he continued, as he rubbed his chin where Oz had hit him, after learning what had happened.

The others took a few minutes to take in the replies, before they spoke up.

"I hope you are wrong Xander," Mr. Sabuto told him, just stopping himself from calling him Mr. Harris after remembering he had asked not to be called by that name. "I really do hope Mr. Giles has some sense left to realize what a mistake he is making," he added.

"I wouldn't count on it," Xander shot back with certainty.

"Is Buffy really that far gone, just for the vampire?" Kendra asked.

"I'm afraid so Kendra," Xander answered. "When she came back at the beginning of the year she was still recovering from her short death," he began: "She wanted Angel with a passion, even going so far as to use me to make him jealous," he added: "It was this event, that made me see what Buffy was really like underneath," he continued:

"What do you mean?" Kendra wondered.

"Buffy is a selfish person Kendra. She told me how she used to be in L.A. how she used people and while for a time it seemed as if she had changed, it is now clear she hadn't changed a bit," he continued. "Her relationship with Angel was the most important thing to her in Sunnydale. I think if it came down to a choice between us and him she would choose him," he said with a frown.

"Why do you think that?" Mr. Sabuto asked.

"She has skipped many patrols, just to run off to see Angel. Abandoning her calling for her own ends," Xander informed them. "I keep wondering how many people have died whilst she fooled around with a vampire," he added quietly.

Kendra and Mr. Sabuto shared a worried glance at this piece of information. It was clear Mr. Giles had kept many details about events in Sunnydale quite.

"The Council has had no idea of how much Miss Summer's relationship with the vampire has destroyed her dedication to her calling," Mr. Sabuto said with a voice filled with distaste.

"I'm surprised that the Council allowed the relationship progress at all," Janna commented.

"They did not know the true nature of the relationship, as Mr. Giles decided not to put it into his reports," Mr. Sabuto admitted. "I had some idea about its true nature after Kendra returned from her first visit to Sunnydale," he added.

"Why didn't you report it?" Jessica asked.

"Kendra was sure, that Buffy would not allow the relationship to interfere with her calling," Mr. Sabuto answered with a grim smile.

Kendra looked very disappointed as the answer was given. It was clear to the others that she was still shocked by finding out how wrong she was about her sister slayer.

"It isn't your fault how things turned out Kendra. None of us knew how things would turn out," Xander tried to make her realize she was not at fault.

"I agree," Janna spoke."Buffy made her decision Kendra, not you and so only she is guilty of the repercussions of that decision," she added.

Silence met Janna's statement as the African slayer looked deep within herself and found she agreed with the brunette woman. Buffy had brought things to this moment and all the repercussions that would follow would be on her head alone.

The library was quite as Buffy and the others awaited the arrival of Xander Harris and Jenny Calendar. Buffy seemed sure they had decided to apologize for their actions and also to hand over the retranslated soul curse as well.

The others were not so convinced of the motives of their former friends, but for now they decided to let the blond slayer dream of being close to having her boyfriend back. The doors suddenly opened to allow Xander and Janna to enter. They were followed by another woman who only Willow recognized as Xander's mother, seen as Xander had never brought Cordelia home to meet his parents due to fear of what his step father might do.

"Who's that?" Oz asked.

"That's Xander's mother," Willow informed the others with a confused frown.

"What's she doing here?" Buffy demanded.

"I have no idea," Willow answered as her former friend sat down opposite them.

"Why did you ask for this meeting Xander?" Giles asked with a frown.

"To try one last time to get you people to see what idiots you are by allowing Angelus to run loose," Xander answered.

"Give us the soul curse and he'll be stopped instantly," Buffy cut in.

"We told you we are not risking anyone's life or soul just to make you happy," Janna shot back, making Buffy angry.

"How dare you?" Buffy started, before she was cut off as the doors to the library opened again to admit Kendra and Mr. Sabuto, which shocked Buffy into silence and the others to stare in amazement at the arrival of the second slayer.

"What?" Giles started as he stood, feeling suddenly uneasy. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We are here to do the job you will not," Kendra answered. "To destroy Angelus," she added with a feral smile, directed at her sister slayer, who suddenly looked pale.


	10. Chapter 10

Walking the Path Chapter 10

The library remained silent after Kendra's statement, Buffy and Giles were both pale as they realized someone, most likely Xander had found some way to contact the second slayer and her watcher.

"You can't do that Kendra. Angelus can be stopped by just by making them give us the soul curse," Buffy finally spoke, trying to stop her sister slayer from destroying any chance of rescuing her boyfriend.

"I can and I will Buffy," Kendra responded hotly. "I should have finished him when I had the chance last time, but I didn't," she continued. "This time there will be no second chance," she finished.

"You did this," Buffy screamed at Xander, who was watching the others carefully, before she launched herself at him, trying to land a shot to his face, but Xander just managed to side step her, catching her fist in a strong grip and twisting her around and threw her backwards into Giles.

"Of course I did this," Xander snarled angrily. "Did you think I was stupid enough to try and take Angelus and his followers on his own?" He asked them. "I gave you enough chances to help and you refused, so to save the lives of everyone in Sunnydale I brought Kendra here to help," he added.

Kendra and Mr. Sabuto looked even more shocked by Buffy's attempt at hitting Xander full force, which considering a slayer's strength would most likely have put him into a coma.

"I must warn you Miss Summers, if you attempt to harm another person again, I will inform the Council of your actions, which will bring all kinds of trouble down on you and your Watcher," Mr. Sabuto said, as he decided to try and bring Buffy into line with a threat, even though he knew he wouldn't use it, except in extreme circumstances as he knew the Council would most likely decide to kill the blond slayer due to their idea of it being easier than trying to correct her way of thinking.

Giles paled even more, as Mr. Sabuto threatened his slayer's life and knew he must keep Buffy's temper under control, so she won't do something that would force his fellow watcher to carry his threat out. He stepped forward and in front of Buffy, making sure she couldn't try and push past him.

"Mr. Sabuto," he started, "Mr. Harris has made events in Sunnydale seem more dangerous than they are," he continued, knowing he was walking a very fine line. "All we need to deal with Angelus is the soul curse Miss Calendar can provide and the threat he poses will be neutralized," he added. "It is their refusal to actually hand over the curse that is causing more people to die," he finished, hoping to bias his fellow watcher against Xander and Jenny.

"Lies will not help your situation Mr. Giles," Mr. Sabuto said sharply. "Xander has given us a full accounting of events since the start of Angelus's terror campaign," he said. "Including how the original soul curse was broken by Miss Summer's herself," he finished, with a glare at his fellow watcher.

"Has he told you the reason why they won't get Miss Calendar to perform the spell?" Buffy asked, desperate to cause some doubt in the new arrivals minds.

"Yes and I agree with them. Soul magic is deadly, one way or another and it is foolish to risk one's soul or life for a vampire who has dozens of kills to his name, as Angelus does," Mr. Sabuto answered his glare still in place.

"There's another reason," Buffy said, edging around Giles still hoping to put some kind of dent in Kendra's trust of Xander.

"Such as?" Mr. Sabuto asked.

"He got Miss Calendar pregnant," Buffy spat, her growing hatred of Xander coming through in her voice.

Mr. Sabuto and Kendra both turned to look at Xander, Janna and Jessica who just shrugged to each other, before they nodded their heads.

"It's true," Janna told them. "We'll give you the full accounting of that later if you want, but still it does add to the reasons why I will not perform the soul curse now or in the future," she added with feeling.

"There is no need to explain yourself Miss Kalderdash," Mr. Sabuto told her. "Yours and Xander's private life has nothing to do what so ever with me or the Council," he added.

"But," Buffy spluttered in disbelief.

"Miss Summers instead of focusing on what is happening in people's private lives maybe you should pay more attention to the current crisis, as is your duty," Mr. Sabuto scolded her. "Now will you aid us in the destruction of Angelus and his kin?" he asked, deciding they had wasted enough time here.

"No, I won't kill Angel," Buffy said defiantly, before Giles could say anything.

"Very well," Mr. Sabuto said with a shake of his head. "Then you will stay out of our way and I warn you Miss Summers, if you do get in our way there will be consequences," he stated, before turning and walking out of the library, followed by Kendra, Xander and the others.

Buffy could only watch, as Kendra and the others left, leaving her own group standing in shocked silence, she finally shook herself out of her stupor.

"Giles, what do we do?" she asked in a slight panic, that she would never get her Angel back.

"I am afraid, that there is nothing we can do Buffy," Giles said, as he removed his glasses and began to polish them, as he sat down. "If we try to interfere in Mr. Sabuto's attempts to destroy Angelus we will bring down the full wrath of the council on our heads," he warned his slayer.

"But what about Angel?" Buffy asked desperately.

"I am afraid it is too late to bring him back Buffy. Xander and Jenny have seen to that," Giles answered, as Buffy collapsed into a chair, whilst Willow placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.

Xander entered Janna's home, followed by the others. He had told them he wanted to pick up something before they started their hunt for Angelus, but he hadn't told them what it was. He wanted to get even, though he was sure Janna might suspect what it was that he wanted.

He walked over to the wall, where the sword was held and removed it from its mantle. He then tied it to his back with some rope he found in Janna's kitchen. He noticed Janna and Jessica exchanged looks, but could tell they were not going to explain to Kendra and Mr. Sabuto why Xander wanted the sword so much, when they would use the ones Mr. Sabuto's council contacts had flown over.

"We're ready," Xander told the others "Mom, are you sure you want to join us?" he asked, feeling worried for his mother's safety, even though she could use magic she had admitted she hadn't used it in a long time.

"I'm sure, Alex," Jessica replied with a warm smile. "I remember a lot of spells, William taught me, which will be useful against vampires," she added.

"Then let's go," Kendra said, eager to hunt down and destroy the vampire.

Angelus shook his head in annoyance, as he watched Xander leave his house along with the gypsy and his mother and then was surprised, when he saw the second slayer and a man he did not know, but was sure was her watcher follow them out. He cursed when he realized there was only one reason for them to be in Sunnydale and that was to help kill him. He decided to put his plans on hold for tonight, as he needed some of his lackeys to help deal with this new threat.

Xander walked next to Janna through the graveyard, keeping his eyes out for any signs of vampires, when Janna tugged on his arm to get his attention.

"What's up, love?" he asked, smiling as he looked at her.

"Do you think it's wise to use the sword, after what happened last night?" Janna asked, concerned about a repeat of a presence getting inside her lover's mind again.

"It'll give us an edge against Angelus and any other vamp we come across Janna," he explained.

"And what about the presence, what if it comes back?" she persisted.

"It won't hurt me Janna, I'm sure of that," he told her, as he drew the sword and once again concentrated on the runes which again glowed.

"Xander," Janna gasped when her lover pulled the sword from the scabbard on his back, causing the others to look back towards them.

Xander quickly felt the presence in his head again, this time it was lighter than before and he got the impression it was looking for his current location and his identity, before he could try and close his mind, he felt something that felt like surprise, followed by laughter as it found what it was looking for and then withdrew.

"Xander?" Janna asked concerned.

"I'm fine," Xander told her and began walking again.

"Did it come back?" she asked, once the others had turned their attention back to finding any sign of Angelus.

"Yes, it wanted my location and for some reason found it funny I was on the Hellmouth," he told her, confused about what had happened.

"Do you still think the presence is Dracula?" she inquired.

"I think so," Xander replied.

In England Alucard pulled his mind back, still amused at the location of the bearer of the sword. He now knew his name as well and that would help Lilith to locate him. It did not surprise him that the bearer was one of his own people, as no one but a Romany would be able to use the sword, although he would have to be a strong willed person to tap in to its full power as he had so far by activating the runes, which had alerted him to it being used once more.

He turned and walked down the long corridor, to where his daughter's room was located. It had only been a year since his children had joined him at the Hellsing manor, but he knew both of them were capable of dealing with any threat on the Hellmouth. He knocked twice and smiled when he heard his daughter's voice answer. He opened the door and stepped inside to find his daughter reading one of the books, which her mother had given her, beside her bed on the nightstand laid her clock, something she always took with her.

"Hello father," she greeted him.

"Lilith," he said in return. "I have a task for you," he told her.

Lilith put the book away and gave her father her full attention, as she could guess by the sound of his voice, that this was serious.

"What has happened?" she asked.

"My sword is once more being used," he started to tell her, as his son entered the room obvious on his way to have a talk with his sister, as they continued to try to bury their long feud. "The bearer is strong, as he has activated the runes, which is how I know it is active once more," he continued. "His location is the Hellmouth and I want you to go there and teach him how to use the ancient magic of our people," he told her.

"Is he someone we can trust?" Adrian asked from behind him.

"From what I found, whilst inside his mind, yes we can trust him," Alucard responded. "Once he has dealt with the threat of some demonic vampires he is fighting, he will begin to try and locate me. I want you to delay him for a time, while he learns how to be a leader," he told his daughter.

"May I accompany her father?" Adrian asked.

"If Lilith does not mind, yes, he could do with some training in our type of weaponry," Alucard answered.

"Lilith?" Adrian asked, hoping his sister would allow him to come, as he wanted not only to see what kind of man held his father's most deadly weapon from the old days, but also to check out the Hellmouth.

"Very well, but this is my mission. I am in charge, understood Adrian?" Lilith agreed.

"Agreed," Adrian replied with a smile, before leaving with a smile.

Alucard was happy to see his children getting along better than they ever had before. He hoped the peace between them would survive this mission.

"Father, what should happen if the bearer is wounded mortally?" she asked.

"If he will accept it, turn him. I believe this young man will be of great help to us in the future, Lilith," Alucard replied, after a few minutes of deep thought.

"What is his name?" she asked, as she began to prepare for the mission.

"Alexander Lavelle, although at the moment it is Alexander Harris," her father informed her. "He is from an old line of Romany," he added. "I will inform my master as to what is happening and you shall leave tomorrow night," Alucard told her, before exiting her room and leaving his daughter to ponder how this Alexander would be of help to them.

Alexander sighed as he lay down next to Janna in her bed that night. They had encountered only a handful of vampires, but none of them had been followers of Angelus. He knew Kendra had been annoyed at their lack of success, but as Mr. Sabuto had pointed out their time would come.

He pulled Janna too him, as he closed his eyes and hoped the next night would prove more successful. Janna smiled, as Xander drew her to him and prayed they would come out of this alive.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Walking the Path Chapter 11

Sir Integra Hellsing sat in her study, listening to the report her family's greatest weapon was currently relaying, even though it had no real connection to what the Hellsing organization was created to do, but had more to do with the vampire in front of her.

It was rare that Alucard would discuss anything to do with his previous life as Vlad Tepes, but it would seem this event was something that transcended his usual attitude in regards to his past. She leaned back as Alucard finished his report and stood waiting for her answer.

"So to recap," she started. "Someone has found your original sword, which you imbued with the ancient magic of your people and now intends to use it to find you for some as yet unknown reason," she continued. "And you have decided to send you children to train him, whilst delaying his eventual arrival here, correct?" she finished.

"Basically master," Alucard replied. "The sword used to its full potential could make young Alexander either a great ally or one of our most dangerous enemies," he added.

"Just how powerful is the magic in that sword?" Sir Integra asked.

"The ancient magic of the Romany people was the strongest types of magic when I was actually alive and I believe it would beat any, but the darkest magic's, in this current age," Alucard answered.

"The boy so far only has a small clue, as to what damage the sword can do," he told his master. "Better that he be trained now and also for us to try and build some bridges with him," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"I agree at least with that," Sir Integra nodded her head. "If, as you say he is a vampire hunter who has loose ties to the Watchers Council then we may be able to get him to join us, when he sees how much better prepared we are to face the terrors of the night," she added.

"Which is why I am sending Lilith and Adrian," Alucard explained. "Lilith will teach him how to use the ancient magic of our people correctly, whilst Adrian will bring him and his mate up to speed on how to use our basic armaments," he continued.

"He has a wife?" Sir Integra asked, taking notes on the new situation.

"No, but from what I gleamed inside his mind, she is pregnant with his child and so I believe she will be his wife in time. He also has a mother who was trained in the normal magic's of my people by his father, who was Romany."

"I see and they are both involved in his quest?" she inquired.

"They are," Alucard answered with a grin. "They will be of help to him and keep him grounded, especially as he learns to control magic no one but Lilith, Adrian and me can use," he added.

"As well as those few Nosferatu of your line, who are still alive and are a threat to us," Sir Integra reminded him.

"Of course master. I have not forgotten them, however they do not know the more deadly arts this magic can produce, as I would not teach it to them," he shot back with an insane grin. "I am not fool enough to teach it to someone who may one day try and kill me master, even if they have family ties to me," he added. "I trust only Lilith and Adrian with the full secrets of the ancient magic's," he finished.

"And how much will this Alexander be taught?" she asked, as she continued to take notes.

"Close enough to the full secrets as can be given," Alucard replied, his face turning serious.

"Why?" his master asked, shocked after the statement he had just given, to hear he would allow this unknown element to be taught nearly everything. "What makes you think he will not abuse this power?" she added.

"I have looked into his mind master and I know what burns inside of him, what drives him and it is a hatred of the demonic vampires," Alucard answered. "He will use any weapon to fight this darkness and only that darkness that bares a threat to those he loves," he continued. "He will use the magic he is taught to fight the darkness, but he knows now how dangerous magic is and he will not dare to abuse it again, especially magic as dangerous as this," he finished.

"What happened to make him fear magic?" Sir Integra wondered.

"Not fear master, respect," Alucard corrected. "And the answer is he tried a spell which backfired on him and could have cost a lot of people there lives," he answered.

"How much information did you gleam from his mind?" she asked again, still slightly worried about this new element.

"Enough to see what kind of man he is and what kind of man he will become later in life," Alucard answered "As long as his mate is with him, he will be a good ally," he told his master.

"And if his mate is killed or turned?" she inquired, watching the vampire closely.

"Then the world will tremble as a new nightmare arises that will equal even me at my most dangerous moments," Alucard answered truthfully and he knew he was not lying, everything he had gleamed from the boy's mind had shown him that if his mate was indeed killed, he would lose all restraint and his anger and hatred would overcome him.

"And yet knowing that, you would still have him taught such weapons?" Sir Integra asked, now beginning to come up with plans to make sure this boy was watched closely.

"If he has the tools to defend his mate, there is little chance of her being killed or turned," Alucard advised. "This is the best course to take, master. If we want him to eventually join us," he added.

"Very well Alucard you may proceed," Sir Integra told him after nearly half an hour of deep thought, which did not seem to bother the vampire at all. "But make it known that if he does begin to go dark, he is to be dealt with is that understood?" she added with a frown.

"Yes master," Alucard responded, before turning and leaving Sir Integra's study and then he headed for his son's room.

Angelus paced the factory in anger, much to the enjoyment of Spike, whilst Drusilla hummed to herself, as she tended to her dolls. Finally Angelus snapped and he stalked towards one of his lackeys and thrust a piece a wood through his heart, dusting him.

"Easy mate, we need them to help with our plans," Spike told the elder vampire, as he lit one of his cigarettes.

"Shut it Spike," Angelus snarled back. "I want Harris and that Gypsy dead now," he added, as he went back to pacing, still annoyed that his plans for bringing Harris and Calendar out of their homes had been wasted.

"Then you should have attacked, when you had the chance," Spike commented with a smile, as he imagined Angelus been dusted by a combination of the second Slayer and Harris.

"I'm not stupid like you," Angelus growled in response. "I just don't jump into any fight, just to appease my thirst for violence," he added.

Spike ignored the slight and wheeled himself closer to his insane lover, who was still paying the conversation no attention.

"Miss Edith says death's children are coming to help my kitten," Drusilla finally spoke, causing both vampires to give her their full attention, as they rolled their eyes at Drusilla's name for Harris. Something that had not worn off after the love spell had been canceled, which annoyed both vampires to no end.

"Death's children?" Spike asked confused. "Who do you mean, pet?" he prodded, knowing it was properly useless to ask.

As predicted Drusilla did not try and enlighten them and went back to playing with her dolls, leaving the two vampires in confusion as to what the cryptic warning meant.

Xander woke early that morning to find Janna missing from his side. He was about to jump up and begin searching for her, when he heard the tell tale signs of her being sick in the bathroom. He breathed deeply to push away the fear that engulfed him for those few seconds after waking. His feelings for Janna were becoming deeper by the minute and he sometimes found it hard not to kiss her, even in public.

Janna soon entered the bedroom again, looking slightly pale after her bout of sickness, causing Xander to worry slightly.

"I'm okay Alex," Janna told him, smiling at the worry on her lover's face, which warmed her insides.

Xander didn't answer instead he moved towards her and drew her into a hug before kissing her deeply The kiss became more passionate and they both fell backwards onto the bed, forgetting any plans of getting up early and both didn't hear the phone ring.

Jessica put the phone down and smiled, knowing why neither Xander nor Janna were answering the phone, as she remembered how she and William also lost track of time when they were alone together.

Lilith and Adrian awaited their father on the top tower of the manor. They knew he was just finishing whatever duties Sir Integra had given him to do, before meeting them. Finally Alucard arrived, followed by Seras Victoria, his most recent fledgling.

"You must arrive on the Hellmouth and locate Alexander before he begins his quest to find me. Is that understood?" he told them both. "Do not get sidetracked on your journey," he added.

"Yes father," both Lilith and Adrian replied instantly.

"Your weapons, books and clothes will be waiting at the manor I have bought on the outskirts of the town," he informed them and Seras looked like she wanted to accompany them.

"Is that all father?" Adrian asked.

"Make sure you keep his mate safe. I do not want to have to order the boy's death as my master has ordered, should he begin to go dark," Alucard advised them.

"She is the key to whether or not he will be either an ally or an enemy, right master?" Seras asked.

"That is correct Seras," Alucard agreed. "As long as she is alive, he will stay on the right path," he added. "Now go and be safe," he told his children.

"We will send word as soon as we arrive, through the communication's station you have placed in the manor, father," Lilith told him, clutching her clock before she stepped forward and hugged him. After the hug she turned into a flock of bats and took off into the night, followed by Adrian who only shook his father's hand.

"Do you really think the boy will be a good ally master?" Seras asked.

"I know he will," Alucard replied with an insane smile, as he stared off into the night.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Walking the Path Chapter 12

Xander walked into Sunnydale High with a slight smile on his face, as he thought back to two hours and the time he had spent with Janna, before being forced to get up and come to school, pretending he was not even friends with the beautiful woman, who now carried his child, which he knew would be a disaster waiting to happen, if the school found out about his relationship with Janna.

He knew Principal Snyder was looking for any excuse to expel any of Buffy's friends and was watching them closely. He had tried to use Giles' close friendship with Buffy against them already, but to no avail, however his situation with Janna was completely different, as there was actually something going on between him and Janna.

He noticed Buffy talking with Willow and Oz near the lockers and he wondered if they were actually going to stay out of his and the others way, when they went hunting tonight or if Buffy had convinced the others to try to stop them. He hoped his former friends would use their brains and stay out of the way. It was way past time that Angelus was put down.

As he passed the staffroom he saw Janna exit it with Giles following close behind, both looked angry and he had to fight the reflex to go and see what was going on, before he could decide where he was heading, Buffy was in front of him glaring at him.

"What do you want Buffy?" he asked, with a resigned tone.

"Stop trying to kill Angel and give me the soul curse that's what," she spat at him in answer, giving Xander his answer as to whether she had accepted the inevitable.

"He isn't Angel any more Buffy and it's time you accept that," Xander answered. "And as for the curse, over my dead body," he added, before he turned around and walked away, leaving Buffy to glare at his back.

Ten minutes ago

Janna sat in the staffroom reading over the daily school reports, when Rupert Giles walked in with a tired frown on his face. He noticed her almost immediately and headed to where she was sitting. She sighed, knowing she was in for another argument and so stood and prepared herself.

"Miss Calendar?" he said, trying to sound polite and treat her as just a fellow member of the staff in case someone else entered the room.

"What can I do for you?" she asked, wishing she was back at her house in bed with Alex.

"I want you to first convince Xander and Kendra to stop their hunt for Angelus and second I want you to translate the soul curse again, so that we can perform it. Buffy deserves to have her boyfriend back, after all she has done recently," Giles informed her, trying to sound confident.

"I will not do either of those things Rupert, as you well know," Janna replied, trying to keep her temper. "Buffy, as Alex has pointed out, does not deserve anything, especially for someone to risk their lives or soul to bring that vampire back," she added. "He has killed a dozen people since he came back and all she has done is cry and moan about losing her boyfriend, tell me Rupert how can you allow such a thing?" she finished.

"I am her Watcher and I believe having a stable relationship is paramount to her ability to do her duty," Giles responded.

"That is ridiculous, as she is one of only a handful of Slayer's who have had any friends or lovers and the others all did their duty without such things. Kendra is a prime example of that," she shot back, before she turned and begun to leave, as she knew they would get nowhere arguing, especially here where someone could walk in.

"We are not finished," Giles hissed, following her out of the staffroom.

Janna noticed Alex walking through the corridor and catch sight of her. A part of her wished he would come over and intervene, but she knew he would not follow, as they had agreed whilst in public they had to remain apart, but she noticed the worry in his gaze, as he watched Giles follow her to her classroom.

"Leave me alone Giles, we are finished with this conversation," she said, facing the angered watcher.

"I want that soul curse now, Jenny," Giles spat, having had enough of the entire affair and knew the only way to get Buffy to back off was to acquire the spell.

"For the last time Rupert, no," she replied. "Buffy has to pay for unleashing the nightmare that is Angelus again and this is how she will pay and if you are not careful you will pay with her," she warned him, not liking his posture.

"Is everything okay, Miss Calendar?" A female voice asked from behind her and both adults turned to find Amy Madison standing near the doors.

Giles looked at the young witch for a few seconds before turning and leaving the classroom annoyed, as he knew Buffy would once again go on a rant about saving Angel, ignoring just how much trouble they faced.

"Thank you Amy," Janna said, pleased to see Giles leave.

"Alex asked me to check to make sure nothing happened," Amy responded, walking over. "He was worried by how angry Mr. Giles was looking," she added.

"I think he is beginning to cave under the pressure of recent events," Janna explained. "But letting his anger control him will not help and neither will following Buffy's advice."

"Hopefully it'll be over soon," Amy said. "Alex said once Angelus is dead ,we'll be leaving," she added.

"We?" Janna asked confused.

"I'm coming with you," Amy explained: "Alex told me what you plan to do and I offered my help," she added.

"But what about school?" Janna asked.

"My father will be happy to have me leave Sunnydale and I can always learn as I go along," Amy replied, "He understands there are more important things going on than finishing school and he has become more afraid for my safety since the deaths within the town escalated," she continued.

"Where we are heading will not be without danger, Amy," Janna warned her.

"I know, but the fact is there is much we could learn on this journey and I want to make sure Alex and you stay safe, as I know he would make sure that I am safe," Amy said in a soft voice, proving what Janna already knew and that was that the young witch really did value her friendship with Alex.

"I am sure you will be of great help Amy and I know Alex will be relieved, that he will not be leaving you behind to face the darkness of Sunnydale alone," Janna told her warmly.

"Thanks," Amy replied, as she sat down and they began discussing the quest they would undertake soon.

Xander sat in the dinner hall, thinking about what Amy had told him about the confrontation she had interrupted between Janna and Giles. He really couldn't wait for this to be over, so they would leave not only Sunnydale, but also Buffy, Giles and the others behind.

It was the second time he had thought this and this time it did not cause any pain at the idea. His friends or the people he had thought of, as friends had turned on him and Janna, without any real reason. Even after all they had been through together. Before he would have hated the idea of leaving them behind to deal with the dangers of Sunnydale, but now he felt very different. Kendra and Mr. Zabuto had already said they would most likely remain on the Hellmouth after Angelus was dealt with, so he knew the group would have backup.

He now had other priorities, beginning with Janna and their unborn baby. Then he had his mother and Amy to watch out for and finally he had to deal with somehow taking control of the Lavelle tribe and not to forget to end the civil war between the tribes, by locating the Lord of all vampires, Dracula. Whose history was more interesting than anyone would believe.

He wondered how his life had become so complicated and then shook that thought of, as he realized he wouldn't change it for anything.

Lilith and Adrian reformed as night began to once again fall on Sunnydale. As soon as they were in their normal forms they felt the dark tendrils of magic emanating from the Hellmouth. Because they were not demonic vampires the tendrils had no effect on them at all, which they were quite happy about.

"We will go to the manor and arm ourselves before we head out to find Alexander," Lilith told her brother.

"Good idea," Adrian nodded. "Where do you think we will locate Alexander?" he asked.

"Father stated that he was engaged on a hunt for a demonic vampire and its followers. So would guess that we will find him patrolling the town, especially the graveyards," Lilith responded.

"Father really did get a lot of information out of his probe of the boys mind," Adrian mused.

"That is because Alexander was not prepared the first time and the second time he was not fast enough to close his mind, but the fact that he tried pleased father. It showed the strength of his mind," Lilith informed him.

"If we want to find him quickly, we better get going," Adrian told his sister and together they headed for the manor their father had bought for them.

In the living room of Janna's house sat Xander, Janna, Kendra, Mr. Zabuto Jessica and Amy, who had asked to join them on their hunt.

"So it would seem we may encounter Buffy and the others out there," Mr. Zabuto sighed after Xander, Janna and Amy had filled the others in on what had happened that day.

"It looks like it," Janna nodded. "I think Buffy will not stop until we actually kill Angelus," she added.

"And the sooner we do that the better," Xander put in. "For everyone," he added.

"So where do we start tonight?" Jessica asked, as she prepared herself for another night of hunting. She had spent the day relearning as much magic, as she could in the time allowed.

"Oak ridge cemetery," Xander answered.

"Why there?" Kendra inquired, hoping that she would engage Angelus tonight.

"It's closest to the abandoned industrial area, so there are lots of factories and other buildings they would be using as a base," Xander explained.

"Sounds like a good starting area," Janna agreed, before suddenly rushing out of the room.

"Is she going to be okay, being out there?" Mr. Zabuto inquired with a worried frown.

"She'll be fine and no offense to either mom or Amy, but Janna is our best spell caster," Xander replied. "But someone will have to keep close to her. Mr. Zabuto I think that should be you. If we get into a real combat situation you can then cover her with your crossbow, as she casts," he explained. "I'll stick with her if there is no activity," he added.

"Who will cover Amy and Jessica, as they are casting?" Kendra asked.

"Damn," Xander suddenly cursed as he realized they did not have enough people to cover the magic casters.

"I have an idea," Janna told them as she returned from the toilet, looking slightly better.

"Go on?" Mr. Zabuto said.

"Amy, Jessica and me will all have to be armed with crossbows as well and then we can cover one another, as we cast," Janna explained, as she sat down and leaned into Xander, who placed his arm around her shoulders.

"That will limit our spells though," Amy pointed out.

"That will be a price we will have to pay, to make sure you guys don't get left behind on your own," Mr. Zabuto told them. "If you are on your own you will easily be overrun, as you will be busy casting and it takes a few seconds to reload a crossbow," he continued.

"We have another hour until full dark, so we better get ready. It's a shame we don't have any armor or something that could stop the vamps claws doing to much damage early on," Xander said with a sigh.

"There are other organizations out there that do employ a more modern day way of fighting vampires, including using firearms and armor," Mr. Zabuto informed them.

"Can they be contacted?" Xander asked.

"The council does not usually like dealing with them, especially one particular organization also based in England like the Council," Mr. Zabuto answered.

"It isn't their lives on the line here Mr. Zabuto," Xander shot back. "Who would be the best organization to call, who could reach us quickly?" he asked.

"You make a valid point," Mr. Zabuto conceded. "The Vatican has multiple teams engaged all over the world, engaging any supernatural forces attacking innocent people," he informed them. "It is most likely there are a few teams who could be close by and may be able to reach us in time to be of help," he added.

"I'm surprised they don't have a team here anyway," Janna said, after a few seconds.

"They do not know the location of the Hellmouth, as the council decided it was best not to have them close to one of our Slayers. In case they tried to exert influence on the slayers and replace us as their trainers," Mr. Zabuto explained.

"Sounds like a very heavy situation," Xander mused. "But still make a few calls and see if there's a team close by. We could do with some backup and having some more people here to keep the Hellmouth closed will be a good thing, if Buffy continues to be reckless," he continued.

"Again you make some good points, as you are new to this side of the demon hunting, hopefully the Council will see things your way," Mr. Zabuto agreed.

"It's my call man and if they have a problem with it, they can talk to me about it," Xander said heatedly. "They can think politics and power all they want, but I am thinking about lives and keeping the portal that could allow thousands of demons and vampires to swamp our world shut," he added, before he stood up and walked away, as images of Jessie surfaced.

Janna quickly followed him.

"Don't take his tone seriously Mr. Zabuto. Xander means you no insult. I think he sees your council's views as too narrow in the long run and that it will get more people killed in the here and now. Since Jessie was turned, he takes the deaths much more seriously, especially if they could have been prevented," Jessica tried to explain.

"That is alright Jessica," Mr. Zabuto replied. "I agree whole heartedly with your son's view," he continued. "The Council's leaders are more concerned with power and money, than they should be," he added. "Refusing to make alliances with the other organizations limits our responses to any serious threats and cost us dearly in lives," he finished.

"Then maybe it is time that things are changed," Jessica said, before standing and walking into another room, followed by Amy who had listened to everything in silence as she was still new to everything.

Mr. Zabuto waited a few minutes, before he stood up and went over to the phone, to begin trying to find if any of the Vatican hunting teams were close at hand.

Kendra began meditating in preparation of the nights hunt.

Lilith and Adrian were both fully geared up for this nights outing and were just waiting for full night to fall. They had already reported in to their father and he was pleased with their quick start.

They hoped to locate Alexander as quickly as possible. The training they were going to give him and his mate would take a long time to learn and they also wanted to make sure nothing happened to Alexander's mate, as their father had ordered.

On the other plain Cassandra smiled, as she watched her step-daughter and son prepare to leave their manor. Not knowing that tonight would mark the shift of how the darkness was fought. It would also be the first step to reuniting their people under one leader, which would stop the civil war that would one day, if left to rage cause the extinction of their people.

The meeting that was about to take place would be the start of Alexander's quest and she awaited it with much anticipation.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Walking the Path Chapter 13

Xander walked side by side with Kendra through Oak Ridge cemetery, feeling anticipation running through his veins. He really hoped to come face to face with Angelus tonight and from the look of the African Slayer's face, she hoped so as well.

Behind them came Mr. Zabuto and Janna, both armed with crossbows as they had agreed and behind them bringing up the rear were Jessica and Amy, also armed with crossbows and stakes, as was everyone else. Xander and Mr. Zabuto were also armed with swords, even though the group, bar Janna and Jessica, did not know that Xander's sword was magical.

Xander came to a halt, as something moved ahead of the group. He pulled his sword and instantly felt the magic once again course through his body, only this time he did not feel the presence trying to penetrate his mind.

"What is it?" Kendra asked, as she withdrew a stake.

"I'm not sure yet," Xander replied, as he moved forward, holding his sword in a guard position.

Suddenly two vampires charged out of the nearby tomb, straight for them. Xander swung his sword outwards, catching the first one and cutting it deeply in its chest, whilst the second was dusted by Mr. Zabuto's crossbow who then quickly reloaded.

"Are we clear?" Janna asked, looking around as Amy and Jessica raised their own crossbows:

"No not by a long shot," a snide voice came out of the darkness, as seven more vampires walked towards them, led by a tall blond haired vampire they did not recognized.

"And you would be?" Xander asked, annoyed that Angelus wasn't leading them.

"The one who will gain Angelus' favor when I bring him your head on a platter," the vampire responded with a cocky grin. "The word has gone out, that whoever can kill you will become his right hand man and that will be me," he added.

"What's the matter? Is Deadboy too afraid to come out and do it himself?" Xander taunted, as he shifted his position, ready to jump into the attack, as Kendra moved to cover him, prepared as well.

"Taunting Angelus is not a wise thing to do human," another voice spat, as a second group of seven vampires came into view.

"Move into a circle," Mr. Zabuto commanded, as he quickly assessed the situation.

The group quickly reformed their formation, making sure they were covering the others as well. Xander was beginning to get the feeling that Angelus was here and was waiting for the group to get tired, before he attacked.

"He's here," Xander finally spoke, as the two groups of vampires argued about who would kill them. "He's just going to use these guys to tire us out and then he will enter the fight," he warned them.

"He's a coward," Kendra spat disdainfully.

"Janna, Amy you two prepare some flame spells, one for each group," Xander stated, as he grew tired of the standoff. "Mr. Zabuto, Jessica cover them," he added. "I'll hit the first group, Kendra you have the second one. Take Mr. Zabuto's sword, it'll give you a better reach," he finished.

Kendra looked at him for a few seconds, as if unsure of his plan, before a nod from Mr. Zabuto moved her into action. She quickly took the sword he offered her and prepared to jump the second group, who were still arguing with the first group.

"We're ready," Janna whispered, as she concentrated on holding the magic she had conjured.

"Now," Xander said, as he too prepared to jump into the fight.

Two fire balls hit both groups, killing three vampires on both sides. Jessica and Mr. Zabuto both fired their crossbows, dusting two more, before Xander and Kendra charged into the shocked groups. Meanwhile the others tightened their formation.

Angelus shook his head in frustration, as the two groups of vampires began to argue. This was the problem with lackeys, as they tended to lose focus on plans when they were hoping to gain positions of power over the others.

Their arguing had given Harris and his group time to come up with a plan and execute it, killing eight of the vampires he had hoped would wear down the hunters.

He sighed, as he signaled to the other vampires, he had brought along with him, to prepare to engage just as Harris and the second Slayer killed another two vampires.

He looked at the leader of the group and nodded his head. At that signal the large group charged out of cover towards the circle of defenders, whilst some of the vampires broke off and headed for Xander and Kendra.

Lilith and Adrian stood atop one of the largest crypts, in the cemetery their father had said Alexander would be in, which he found out from his probe of the boy the night before. Lilith reached out with her senses and soon sensed a large group of demonic vampires surrounding a small group of humans. Her eyes snapped open as she realized Alexander and his friends were in a situation they may not escape.

"I found them, follow me," she spoke quickly as she once again changed into a flock of bats and headed for where the battle was raging, followed a second later by her brother.

Xander painfully got back to his feet, trying to ignore the pain in his side from where he had taken numerous hits from the new wave of vampires. He jumped away from Angelus right hook, as the vampire finally joined the fight.

Kendra flew past his position, landing in a heap against a headstone. She quickly jumped back to her feet and charged the vampires she was currently fighting, not even bothering to think of the pain her body was currently in, helped by the slayer spirit within her.

In the defensive circle Janna had raised a shield to keep the vampires out, whilst the others fired both spells and arrows out of it, dusting the attacking creatures. However keeping the spell up was becoming difficult, as she felt her strength begin to drop and she also began to feel sick.

"I can't hold it much longer," she shouted in a stained voice.

"Jessica do you think you can power it?" Mr. Zabuto asked, becoming concerned for their chances of survival.

"No, I don't have that kind of power," Jessica answered, as she fired another flame spell at a charging vampire.

"Neither do I," Amy said, before she could be asked, keeping her focus on the fight.

Suddenly two large booms echoed over the cemetery and two vampires were quickly dusted, surprising everyone bar Xander and Angelus who continued their fight.

Everyone else looked around for the source of the sound and was shocked to see two figures, both holding rather large guns in their hands, which looked like they had been fired recently. They were dressed in what looked like black armor and long coats with red trimmings, but the most striking features of the pair were their red irises. The attacking vampires halted to stare at these intruders, whilst Janna and the others feared they were about to have even more trouble.

Lilith raised her hand cannon again and fired again dusting another vampire. Adrian decided to go for brute force and transformed into his wolf form. He charged into the group of vampires closest to the defending circle, shocking them even more.

Xander growled in pain as he managed to land a blow to Angelus' leg, as the vampire grew cocky in his attack. He was tiring fast and he kept losing his grip on his memories of the skills, he had gained when he had been a soldier.

Angelus suddenly stopped his attack as he looked over Xander's shoulder with a surprised look on his face. #

Xander turned too and was shocked to see most of the attacking vampires were dead, whilst the remaining ones were trying to run away from two strangers.

He turned back to face Angelus to see that he had run off too, obviously not willing to risk being killed by the new comers, as easily as his followers were been killed. He felt relieved that the main fight was over. As much as he wanted to kill Angelus, he did not want to die and leave his friends and his lover alone, not when they had so much to do. If it was just him, he would gladly trade his life for the destruction of Angelus, but not now, not with so much to lose. He turned to face the two figures, as Janna finally let the shield drop, unable to power it any longer, whilst the others trained their crossbows on them.

"Who are you?" Xander asked, as he walked over to the group. He kept the sword pointing at the new arrivals.

"We are here to help you Alexander," Lilith replied, as she reloaded her weapons before putting them away and Adrian returned to his normal form.

"How do you know my name?" Xander asked, as he helped Janna to her feet, not noticing the look on her face as she looked at the strangers.

"We will explain as much as we can, but not here. Come let us leave this place, before your enemy returns with more followers," Adrian replied.

"Alex they're okay, we can trust them," Janna spoke, before anyone else could say anything.

"How do you know that?" Mr. Zabuto asked.

"They're Romany. I can feel it in their auras," Janna answered, as she began to feel the exhaustion threaten to overwhelm her.

The group stared at the strangers for a few seconds. Xander lifted Janna into his arms to carry her, because he saw how tired she was.

"Okay, we'll come with you," Xander said, trusting Janna's advice. "I guess we should at least listen to you, after you saved our lives," he added.

The others did not look as confident, but decided to follow them as well.

Mr. Zabuto decided they needed to know who these people are, as well as the fact, that Xander had a point that without the strangers help they would have been overwhelmed and then killed.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Walking the Path Chapter 14

Xander laid Janna down on the couch, where she could rest. It was clear to him and the others that she had drained herself with keeping the shield up for so long and she needed the rest. She gave him a small smile, as she stretched out, before pulling Xander down next to her, whilst the others took seats around the massive living room of the stranger's mansion.

So far they had said nothing else about who they were or why they had claimed they were there to help them. None of them had placed their weapons far from reach, which seemed to amuse them more than anything else they did.

"Okay, so why don't you start by telling us who and what you are?" Xander started, as he clasped Janna's hand, who was watching with tired eyes. He knew she wanted to hear the answers as much as the others did

"My name is Lilith Tepes and this is my brother Adrian and as you no doubt can gather we are vampires," Lilith responded. Decided that to gain Alexander's trust they had to be honest. "But we are no demonic vampires, as you are used to. We are Nosferatu," she added as she noticed the glare Kendra sent her.

"What does that mean?" Amy asked.

"It means that we are true vampires, born of the same line as the no life king himself," Lilith answered.

"Tepes?" Jessica asked surprised.

"As in the children of Vlad Tepes, more commonly known as Dracula?" Xander added a beat later.

"That is correct," Adrian replied.

"We should leave," Mr. Zabuto spoke quickly.

"No we shouldn't," Xander objected. "We need to know why they are here, as they haven't attacked us, we should give them the benefit of the doubt here," he added.

Mr. Zabuto looked to Kendra who looked unconvinced, but after a look at the others in the room she nodded her head in agreement with Xander, causing her watcher to sigh.

"How did you find us?" Janna asked, fighting off a yawn.

"Father's probe located you as soon as Alexander activated the runes of the sword," Lilith answered. "He was surprised that you activated it so soon. It showed you have a lot of strength within you Alex," she added.

"So it was him who got inside my head?" Xander mused, ignoring the confused looks of Kendra and Mr. Zabuto, who did not know about the sword or the events leading up to and after his discovery of his Romany heritage.

"It was," Lilith agreed. "He is linked to the sword since he was the one who created it and imbued it with magic," she informed them. "When he realized the sword was active again and the fact that you could activate a lot of its power he decided to send us to help train you," she continued.

"Train me why?" Xander asked, looking at Janna who also looked slightly confused.

"The sword is not imbued with ordinary magic Alexander, but the ancient magic of the Romany people," Lilith responded. "The ancient magic is more powerful than anything currently wielded by any witch alive today. Someone who is not trained to handle that kind of power could do a lot of damage to those he is trying to protect," she warned him.

Xander's face turned slightly pale, as this information was given to him. Janna too looked uneasy as she realized that the legends of her people did not hold all of the information they should.

"May I ask exactly what it is that you are discussing?" Mr. Zabuto asked, as a silence settled over the room.

"My sword, the one I got from Janna's house, is an ancient relic of our people" Xander began.

"Our people?" Kendra prodded.

"I have discovered lately that I am Romany on my father's side and because of that, I can use the sword which can only be used by Romany and is imbued with magic," he informed them.

"Why did you keep this information to yourself Xander?" Kendra asked, looking a little let down by Xander's reluctance to share this information, as she had come to understand that was what friends did.

"I was still coming to terms with everything when things came to a head and I called you. It had nothing to do with not trusting you Kendra," Xander answered and although the others could hear him, they could tell he was specifically talking to the African Slayer. "With everything that's happened lately I decided to just concentrate on dealing with Angelus," he added.

"You cannot run from who you are Alexander," Lilith interjected.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked, worried for her friend.

"Alexander is about to embark on a quest to locate our father, in the hopes he will help him do something in the future," Adrian answered. "This quest will be long and difficult, but from it Alexander and those who travel with him will learn much about themselves and what drives them in life," he continued. "Whilst he has only just discovered his Romany heritage, it has always been there inside him and now he has to learn to come to terms with it," he finished.

"I have no problem accepting my true origins," Xander stated. "But the danger that comes with that fact is what concerns me and how it could bring harm to those I love," he added. "I wish to locate your father, as he is the only one who can stop the civil war, which has torn the Romany nation apart," he continued. "I will have to return to the Lavelle tribe, which I am apart of, to kill the man who deposed my grandfather and may have had my father killed to protect mine and Janna's child. Even if I succeed in this, we will still have to deal with the other tribes and other people who desire to have power, so by finding your father I hope to put an end to all of this suffering and the threat it poses to our child and the other future generations of our people," he finished.

Silence met this information, as everyone digested what Xander had said. Lilith and Adrian both smiled, as they realized that their father had been right in the fact that Alexander was a good person and would be a good ally, worthy of being trained by them.

Janna, Amy and Jessica already knew all this, so they were not to surprised by Xander's story, but Kendra and Mr. Zabuto looked shocked at what awaited Xander, after they had dealt with Angelus.

"The training you will receive from us will help you in your quest, Alexander," Lilith told him.

"Why having a quest at all? Why not tell us where your father is right now?" Jessica asked.

"It won't work like that Jessica," Janna answered, before either Lilith or Adrian could. "We can't just be told where he is, we have to prove worthy of the right to find him," she added to which Xander nodded his head, agreeing with her statement.

"That is true, father will not be found unless by the right people," Lilith explained with a smile, as she recalled that her father had ordered her to delay them, until they were prepared for finally locating him.

"I take it by the fact that Vlad has sent you here, he believes we may be the right people?" Janna inquired.

"He does," Lilith answered. "And father does not go by Vlad or Dracula any more. He is known as Alucard these days," she explained. "We all work for the Hellsing organization," she added.

"What is that?" Jessica asked, not recognizing the name.

"It is one of the many organizations I mentioned before our hunt, that like the watcher's council fights the terrors of evil," Mr. Zabuto answered, easily recognizing the name of the organization.

"How does a vampire come to serve an organization that destroys creatures like himself?" Kendra asked with a frown, not understanding how such a thing was possible.

"That is a long story, but the fact it that our father serves the Hellsing family, which currently is headed by Sir Integra Hellsing," Lilith replied. Deciding that they didn't have time to go into that story right now.

"We'll come back to that one," Xander said, as another factor of the nights events came back to him. "How did your bullets kill those demonic vampires?" he asked.

"Another thing we will teach you and your mate," Adrian answered.

"Why just me?" Janna asked, blushing at the term Adrian had used to describe her.

"You will be very important to keep Alexander on the right path through his training, as will your child when it is born. Keeping you safe also requires you are trained to be as good as your mate," Lilith explained.

"I agree with that statement," Xander said with a smile. "But I would ask that Amy and my mom be trained up a bit as well." he asked hesitantly. "They will be coming with me on my quest," he added.

"Very well, but they will not be trained as much as you or your mate," Lilith said after a moments contemplation.

"Thank you," Xander smiled at their agreement of this favor.

"Xander do you really think they can be trusted?" Kendra asked, ignoring her instincts which were screaming for her to attack.

"I believe so Kendra, and if Mr. Zabuto was able to get a hold of one of the Vatican teams I think we'll be able to match Angelus' numeric advantage," Xander replied with a grin, at how this would help them deal with Angelus.

"I was able to contact someone from the Vatican and after explain the situation, including the fact that I was willing to give them the location of the Hellmouth they have agreed to send their best team to help us," Mr. Zabuto answered, pleased that the Vatican had listened to him.

"The best team the Vatican has is Team Crow," Adrian put in, having come across them during his travels, before he had joined his father at the Hellsing organization.

"Cool name," Xander said. "Who leads them?" he asked.

"His name is Jack Crow. His parents were attacked and turned by demonic vampires, forcing him to kill them when he was only a kid," Adrian replied. "He was raised by the Vatican to become their master slayer against the darkness and whilst his manners leave much to be desired, he is the best at what he does," he added.

"Trust level?" Xander asked, wanting information on a new potential ally.

"He has a more laid back attitude when it comes to other supernatural elements such as witches than the Vatican itself, but he is loyal to the cause," Mr. Zabuto answered.

"Then we will wait for them to arrive, before going after Angelus again," Xander said, as he noticed Janna had finally succumbed to sleep. "And before you object Kendra, remember he has more numbers right now, due to the fact that Buffy and the others won't help us and that almost got us killed tonight," he told the others, as he noticed Kendra frown at him. She nodded her head, as he gave his reasoning for holding off on another hunt.

"A good plan," Lilith said with a smile, glad to see that Alexander appeared to be quite bright, as well as brave.

"I think we'd better call it a night, we are all tired," Jessica spoke, as she glanced at Amy and noticed that the witch was fighting to stay awake, whilst Janna had already fallen asleep against her son.

"I agree, you may all take rooms here, as it is too dangerous for you to leave now that Angelus had time to call on more of his followers, including his two childes," Lilith said with a nod.

"Thanks," Xander said while standing up. "We'll continue this tomorrow, if that's okay?" he added.

"Agreed, we still have much to explain and agree on," Adrian answered.

Xander picked Janna gently up and followed Lilith. She led them upstairs to their guest rooms, followed by the others, although Kendra and Mr. Zabuto did not look sure of the arrangements for the night. In the end they seemed to resign to the fact that they had little choice, but to agree, as they too believed Angelus would have gathered a lot more of his followers than they could handle.

Adrian watched them leave and smiled. He was glad that their first talk had gone so well, especially with a Slayer in the same room as them and fighting her instinct to attack them. He believed that was down to the fact that she trusted Alexander to know if they posed a threat to them.

He looked out of the window and wondered how things would turn out now that things had been set in motion.

Angelus almost killed the lackey next to him, as he realized Harris and his friends would not be returning to their houses tonight.

After the strangers had turned up and killed most of his minions, he had gone back to the factory to get more of his followers. Believing more bodies would give him the advantage again, but it was clear he was not going to be able to kill them tonight and so decided to head back and think over this new turn of events.

He would have to find out who these strangers were and how they managed to kill so many of his followers. He guessed they were death's children, as Drusilla had called them, but he hoped they would be not be as helpful as Drusilla had hinted they would be. He hated his plans to be ruined by unexpected events such as this and so he decided to rip the nearby lackey apart after all, to remove some of his anger and frustration.

On the other plane Cassandra smiled, as she watched the meeting between Alexander and her son and step daughter. She was glad things were going smoothly between them, as that would help build bridges with those who would be of the greatest help on his quest.

"It is a good start," the tall man said, as he appeared next to her.

"Yes it is," she replied. "But how he will handle trying to gain the trust of Jack Crow and building the first bridges between the Vatican, the Council and the Hellsing organization will truly show, if it is a good start to his quest," she added.

"Agreed," the tall man nodded. "If he does well, I will allow you to talk to him for a few minutes in his dreams, but be warned you cannot tell anything that is to come. Is that understood?" he told her.

"Yes my lord," she answered with a bow. "And thank you," she added, almost having to fight the urge to dance at the thought of being able to talk to Alexander at last.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Walking the Path Chapter 15

Xander found sleep hard to come that night, as the events that had happened that night ran through his mind. They had come so very close to death during the fight and he found himself at fault for underestimating Angelus. He should have realized that Angelus would bring his followers along and that there may have been more of them than they could handle.

He slowly got up, moving himself out of Janna's embrace without waking her. He rubbed his eyes as he replayed the fight again and could only come up with one thought and that was that Buffy's and the Council's way of hunting vampires was ineffective and stupid. It had to be changed and replaced by actual tactics, which would not only succeed in completing their objective, but also made sure that they survived.

He stood up and quietly dressed, before he left the room and headed towards the nearby tower, which Adrian had pointed out as they headed to the guest rooms. He needed some air to try to clear his head. As he came out onto the tower he noticed someone else was already there, looking out across the darkened grounds of the manor they were currently in. The figure turned around and revealed it to be Lilith, dressed in a black silk gown, but showing no effect from the wind which was currently blowing.

"Trouble sleeping Alexander?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes," Xander answered, slightly uneasy at the woman's appearance. "If I'm disturbing you, I can go," he offered.

"No, that is okay," Lilith replied and turned back to the grounds. "So what is disturbing you?" she inquired.

"What happened tonight, the fact that we used such stupid tactics to try and kill Angelus," Xander answered, as he leaned against the tower. "I should have realized that using Buffy's tactics wouldn't be very useful against Angelus, he knows how we work too well," he added. "I guess I have further to go than I thought," he sighed.

"That is true Alexander," Lilith told him, while facing him again. "You do have far to go and this is just the beginning of the changes you must go through, if you are ever to be ready to find father," she informed him and looked him straight into the eyes. "You must not fear change, even if it is painful to learn from it. It is just a part of life we all must go through," she finished.

"I know," Xander agreed. "I guess I just have to accept that I'm not going to be able to learn what I need to, without going through some mistakes along the way, am I?" he asked, with a strained smile, as he hoped none of those mistakes would get someone he cared for killed.

Lilith watched him for a few seconds, with a look which gave him the feeling she knew exactly what he had just thought, finally she spoke again, "You need rest Alexander, it will do you no good tomorrow to be suffering from exhaustion when we begin your training," she told him with a half smile.

"You're right, good night Lilith and thanks for saving our lives," he told her in reply with a smile in return, before leaving the tower again.

Lilith watched him leave and was glad to see that he was indeed as bright as he had begun to seem to her. She turned back to the grounds and wondered how things were going back at Hellsing manor.

Janna woke to find Xander missing from their room, but before she could get up to try and locate him the door opened and Xander entered looking pensive, but determined. She watched as he undressed and got into bed pulling her into an embrace.

"What's wrong Alex, where did you go?" she asked.

"I needed some air," he replied, kissing her forehead. "I had a lot to think about after everything that happened tonight," he added. "I bumped into Lilith on the tower and she helped me put my thoughts into order," he continued.

"Thoughts like what?" Janna inquired, ignoring the part about meeting the female child of Dracula for the time being, as she trusted Alex not to betray her as Giles had.

"About how stupid we were to use the same tactics as Buffy does," Xander sighed in reply. "Angelus know like we hunt from his memories of being Angel, so he would know what kind of formations we use, the weapons and usually how many of us are out during the patrol," he informed her. "I should have realized that we should have changed all of that before we went out, but I allowed myself to get to far carried away with the thought of destroying Angelus to think clearly," he added.

"Alex you can't foresee everything," Janna cautioned him. "I think we all got carried away with the idea of finally destroying Angelus, so that we didn't think things through, but we are alive to correct that mistake," she added.

"We are alive once again by luck," Xander said with a grimace. "It was pure luck that Lilith and Adrian arrived when they did and if they hadn't, we would be dead," he continued, his voice tight with the fear of losing Janna and the others.

"Or maybe it was fate" Janna shot back. "There are things greater than anything we can imagine in this world Alex and fate is one of those things," she tried to make him understand. "You have to put the past behind you and just concentrate on the future," she said and kissed him deeply.

'She is right young one, a mental voice echoed inside his head, causing Xander to jerk in surprise.

'How in hell,' Xander thought without realizing that he was projecting his thoughts back to whoever had spoken to him.

'No need to shout Alexander, I am not deaf the voice spoke in an amused tone.

"Alex what's wrong?" Janna asked, concerned by his silence.

"There's a voice in my head," Xander told her, confused how such a thing was possible before remembering that he actually lived on a magical portal to hell.

'I am not just a voice Alexander,' the voice spoke again, whilst Janna had a surprised look on her face.

'Who are you?' Xander asked.

'Can't you guess?' the voice asked, amused once again.

'Vlad?' Xander thought, as Janna tried to come up with a response.

'If that is how you choose to think of me, then yes,' the voice answered. 'If you are wondering how I am reaching you with my thoughts, that should already be clear to you,' the voice added.

'The runes?' Xander asked.

'Well done,' the voice said. 'I may believe that you and your friends are not ready to find me yet, but that does not mean we cannot talk,' he continued.

"Who's voice is it Alex?" Janna asked, finally finding her voice again.

"It's Vlad," Xander whispered. 'What do you want?' he thought at the same time.

'In time young one, in time,' Vlad's voice answered, before fading away.

"How did he manage that?" Janna asked.

"It has something to do with the runes," Xander replied. "He said that even though we can't find him yet, that didn't mean he couldn't talk to us or at least me," he added, still trying to understand what had just happened.

"I guess that answers any questions that Kendra or Mr. Sabuto might ask about Lilith or Adrian's intentions or if they are who they say they are," Janna said.

"Agreed," Xander said with a nod. "This is getting complicating," he sighed, as he pulled Janna down and this time began to drift of to sleep and Janna soon followed him.

In England Alucard smiled, as his little experiment worked. He had not been so sure that he would be able to use the runes to open a telepathic link to the actual bearer of the sword.

It was not something he had tried before, but considering what he believed the young man was capable to accomplish one day, he had decided to try it and made sure to keep an eye on him, as he went through his trials.

Adrian wandered through the basement of the manor to where he had begun to set up a target range, in which he would begin to train Alexander and his friends in the use of their weapons and how to create the ammo which actually dusts demonic vampires. Something he knew was new to Alexander and his group.

He was looking forward to seeing what the young man was capable of, after what his father had told him about the young man. He looked up as Lilith entered, wearing her black sleeping gown.

"How are things coming?" she asked.

"The range is set up and I have a way of explaining how our ammo is created," Adrian answered glad he and his sister had come, so that they could talk so easily.

"Excellent, father's mind has been inside the house just now," Lilith told him, surprising her brother.

"Really, how do you know?" he asked, the surprise showing in his voice.

"My training in the magical arts exceeds yours Adrian. That is why he has asked me to train Alexander in that area. Father was using ancient magic to contact Alexander," Lilith explained.

"Why would he do that, after he gave us orders to delay them in locating him?" her brother asked confused.

"If I know father, he is trying to gain more information on Alexander, while keeping an eye on him," Lilith responded. "I really do believe he expects great things from Alexander and I tend to agree after the conversation I just had with him," she continued. "He is smarter than he first appears and his main concern is protecting those closest to him," she added.

"I agree, he is willing to accept help, even if he is not completely sure he trusts us yet," Adrian nodded. "He is also not to obverse in taking control of the group when needed and somehow getting them to function on the same wave length," he continued.

"Then his training should go smoothly," Lilith said with a smile.

Jack Crow shook his head, as he drove to where his superior had told him was the location of the long sought after Hellmouth. He was somewhat skeptical that anyone from the Council would suddenly tell them where the portal was, but he was willing to check it out, just encase the guy was serious.

"Hey Jack, how long before we reach Sunnydale?" Father Adam Guiteau asked from beside him.

"Another couple of hours yet padre" Jack replied, as he checked his rear mirror to see the other van following them, which contained his newly built team.

Jack was still recovering from the events which had pitted him against the vampire Valik and brought about the destruction of his first team, including his best friend who had been turned into a vampire, forcing him and the padre to hunt him and his girl down and slay them.

After making sure the black cross was safely hidden by the highest ranks of the Vatican order he and Father Adam had been ordered to rebuild 'Team Crow'. They had only been back in the game for a few months and while Jack did not believe his new team was up to the standards of his old crew, they were some of the best hunters he had seen. He was looking forward to testing their combined abilities against the dangers of the Hellmouth.

"So what's first when we arrive?" the padre asked.

"We found the Council guy Sam Sabuto and some independent hunter he's working with called Alexander Harris and from there we get a detailed threat analysis of the Hellmouth for the bosses and then we do some hunting," Jack said, as he lit a cigar.

"Sounds like it should be quite an adventure," Father Adam said, as he lay back against his seat and tried to fall asleep, whilst Jack smirked at the idea of the challenge Sunnydale would bring.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Walking the Path Chapter 16

The next morning everyone met in the living room again, Kendra and Mr. Sabuto still looked uneasy around the two Nosferatu, whilst the others didn't seem to mind their presence.

"So where do we start?" Janna asked, deciding to start things rolling.

"I believe with some kind of proof that they indeed work for the Hellsing organization," Mr. Sabuto responded instantly.

"They are who they say they are Mr. Sabuto," Xander told the watcher.

"How do you know that?" Kendra asked.

"Last night I had a small conversation with none other than Vlad inside my head," Xander replied, confirming what Lilith and Adrian already knew. "He somehow used the runes on the sword that he forged to open a telepathic link, so that he could talk to me," he added.

"Good lord," Mr. Sabuto said in complete shock, whilst Kendra looked weary about how powerful this vampire was beginning to sound.

"Are you sure it was actually him?" Amy asked.

"It was father, I felt his presence within the manor last night," Lilith put in.

"What did he say?" Jessica inquired, surprised by this turn of events.

"Only that even though we can't find him yet, that didn't mean we couldn't talk," Xander informed them.

"Wow," Jessica said, which was echoed a second later by Amy and Mr. Sabuto.

"Now that's out of the way, maybe we should go into more detail about why you are here," Janna spoke up, while leaning against Xander.

"As we said last night, we were sent by father to help train you and your mate in not only our way of fighting the darkness, but also how to use the ancient magic of the Romany," Lilith explained once more. "If you two have to have any hope of locating father, you must be able to survive what you may come up against on your quest and as I said last night, if you are not trained in how to use the magic of the sword, you could bring harm to everyone you wish to protect," she continued.

"And I accept your help," Xander told Lilith. "And any advice you may wish to give," he added.

"Same goes for me," Janna agreed, along with Amy and Jessica.

"As we said last night, we will train your mother and friend as well, but not to the level we will you unless father or Sir Integra order us to it," Adrian reminded them.

"We'll accept whatever you wish to share with us," Jessica told them.

"Then let us begin, the more you learn before you hunt again the better the chances that you succeed in your objectives," Adrian said, standing up, joined a second later by Lilith

"Before we begin, there will be no more hunts until we revise our tactics," Xander told the others, as he stood up as well, followed by Janna

"But," Kendra started to object, before Xander cut her off.

"Kendra, the way we hunted Angelus last night is the same way Buffy and her group hunts and Angelus knows everything with how they work, which means they know how we worked," Xander explained. "It gave him the edge and almost led to our deaths, if Lilith and Adrian had not arrived when they did," he added. "We have to come up with a new way of conducting our hunt. The formation of our group, the weapons we use, things like that will surprise Angelus," he finished.

"You raise some good points once again Xander," Mr. Sabuto said, as he rubbed his eyes. "And you are correct, Angelus will use everything he knew as Angel to destroy us. I guess this is one of the many downsides of allowing a vampire, souled or not, into your group and it has given him the edge," he added.

"Another mistake on Buffy's part," Xander sighed. "She was the one who wanted him to become a full member of the group over mine and Giles' original objections," he informed them.

"We'll get started on tactics and you begin your training," Mr. Sabuto told them before splitting up.

Jack Crow decided to pull over at the upcoming motel, they were only three hours away from Sunnydale, but they needed to rest and his men needed a break from being inside the trucks.

He looked over to his sleeping companion and shook his head, as another factor to his decision came to mind he and the others were tired and they wanted to be in fighting form when they arrived on the Hellmouth.

After a two hour talk on the way the Hellsing Organization not only created the weapons and ammo that actually destroyed demonic vampires, but on the tactics employed by them, giving Xander some ideas on how to use them against Angelus.

Janna was looking quite surprised at the more modern way the Hellsing organization raged the war against the darkness.

"I can't believe the council would not try and modernize their arsenal," Xander said with a shake of his head.

"They only use modern weapons against traitors or rogue slayers," Adrian told them. "They cling to age old traditions which has cost them a lot of lives over the centuries," he added with a frown.

"Sounds like it's going to be hard to convince them to change," Janna mused.

"Sounds more like it's going to be more effort than it's worth," Xander said, as he stood up from where he and Janna had been sitting. "But I guess it's worth a shot in the end," he added.

"The Council is not known for its ability to accept advice on how to improve their ways. The Hellsing organization and the Vatican council have tried before, only to rebuffed quite forcefully," Lilith informed them, speaking for the first time since they had begun.

"Well next time we won't give them the option of refusing, as I will no longer allow innocent people to get killed due to their pride," Xander said heatedly. "I mean they are supposed to help keep the darkness away and all they seem interested in, from what I have seen is their own power," he stated.

"That is a correct view of how things stand, especially in light of the fact that the current Council is led by Quentin Travers," Lilith replied. "He is quite harsh in his punishments of those who disobey him," she added.

"As interesting as this is, it has no bearing on things yet. We have training to begin," Adrian interrupted the conversation.

"You're right," Xander agreed "So what's first?" he asked, as Adrian led him over to the shooting range.

"This is the Hellsing standard side arm," Adrian told them, as he pointed to a hand gun that resembled a desert eagle. "It holds seventeen rounds of both normal and explosive rounds," he explained. "Let's see how you handle it," he said, as he took a step back to join Janna and Lilith to watch, as Xander loaded the weapon and took aim.

Buffy paced the library as she tried to come up with a way to stop Xander and Kendra from killing Angelus, but so far she hadn't been able to think of anything, she was getting frustrated by how things were turning out.

Giles attempts to get Miss Calendar to translate the spell again were going nowhere and none of the others could think of a way to save Angel without the spell. She wished Xander had never gotten involved with her calling. She blamed much of what had happened on him and the rest on Miss Calendar.

She turned as the library doors opened and admit Giles and Willow, both looked tired and slightly angry.

"Any luck?" she asked, hoping they had found either Xander or Miss Calendar, as she had asked them to.

"No neither are in today," Willow replied, as she sat down annoyed that she again wouldn't be able to try her hand at magic.

"Damn them," Buffy spat. "Giles is Miss Calendar the only way we can get a hold of the soul curse?" she asked.

"I'm afraid it is," Giles replied, as he polished his glasses. "Only the Kalderdash tribe and Miss Calendar have the actual curse and we have no way of actually contacting the tribe and also we do not know where Miss Calendar has hidden the scroll, she used to translate the curse," he added.

"Then maybe we should search her office," Buffy suggested.

"No, that is out of the question Buffy," Giles said instantly. "If you were caught it'd be just the excuse Snyder would need to expel you, plus I doubt she would have been careless enough to leave it in the school," he added.

"What about her home then?" Buffy shot back instantly.

"An even worse suggestion, as that could lead to you getting arrested," Giles said, feeling fed up and angry with how fixated Buffy had become, ignoring almost everything else.

"He's right Buffy, we just have to wait until we can talk to Miss Calendar again. I'm sure that she eventually will give us the curse," Willow tried to calm her friend.

"But the longer she resists giving it to us, then the better the chance of Xander and Kendra having to kill Angel," Buffy argued.

"For now we'll just have to wait," Giles told his slayer with a sigh.

Xander drunk deeply from the bottle of water Lilith had given him. He felt rather tired from all the drills Adrian had put him through and Janna was looking no better from where she was sitting in front of him

He had managed to come to grips with the two main weapons the Hellsing organization used pretty quickly, due to the left over soldier possession, whilst Janna still had some way to go before she could shoot as well as he could. He was looking forward to trying out the bullets on Angelus, when they decided to hunt him again.

He looked up as Amy and his mom entered the shooting range, followed by Kendra and Mr. Sabuto.

"So did you manage to come up with some new tactics?" he asked, leaning into his chair.

"We believe so, although there are some risks, I believe, in splitting our forces," Mr. Sabuto replied, as they all took seats.

"Splitting up?" Janna asked.

"Kendra and Amy believe that we should split our group into two factions, one as a hunting group and the other as a sort of backup, if we run into more than we expected," Mr. Sabuto explained.

"Might work once the Vatican team arrived, but to damn risky if we were to try it right now," Xander said with a shake of his head.

"At least we will have some upgraded weapons when we go back out," Janna said.

"One advantage, but we still need others and I begin to think I might have an idea how to give us another advantage," Xander said with a thoughtful look.

"What?" Jessica asked.

"Explosives," Xander replied. "We could use explosives to cause massive damage to vampires, so they will be easier to kill," he added.

"By explosives I take you mean grenades and stuff?" Amy asked.

"Exactly, I've helped Buffy use a rocket launcher to kill what nearly everyone said was an invincible demon and it worked great, so I'm thinking using a smaller type will work just as well," Xander explained.

The others looked at each other for a few moments, before they nodded their heads in agreement at his idea.

Jack Crow sighed as he noticed the welcome to Sunnydale sign. They had stayed at the motel for a few hours before getting back underway and now they had finally arrived. He noticed Father Adam doing a small blessing, as they entered what according to Mr. Sabuto was the location of the mouth of hell.

"Did you get an address for where Mr. Sabuto is?" the padre asked.

"No, he gave us a number to his mobile, just in case they weren't home," Jack replied, glancing at his friend.

"Then we better give him a call now that we have arrived, so we can sit down and discuss why he decided to suddenly give us the location of the portal, against his own council's instructions," the padre responded.

"Does seem kind of strange doesn't it? After a century of silence one of them suddenly decides to talk," Jack shot back. "Still I'm willing to see what's going on and if he was telling the truth and this is the location of the portal," he added.

Mr. Sabuto placed the phone back inside his pocket and rubbed the bridge of his nose, as he replayed the conversation inside his head. He was not looking forward to when Jack Crow arrived, the man's attitude got on his nerves.

"Something wrong?" Jessica asked, as she noticed the look on his face.

"Mr. Crow and his team have arrived and are on their way here, as we speak," Mr. Sabuto replied, as the others turned towards him.

"Lilith, I think it would be wise for you and Adrian not to be here, until after we explain who you represent," Janna said, as she faced the female vampire.

"I tend to agree, after hearing of Adrian's encounter with Team Crow," Lilith said. "But we will not hide from them," she added, knowing the Vatican's team had nothing in the way of weapons that could hurt her or her brother.

"That's okay, I wouldn't expect you to. We'll only allow him and one of his team to enter the house, that way we'll minimize the chance of trouble," Xander said, somewhat nervous how events would unfold, seeing as he was the one who suggested they bring the Vatican team to Sunnydale.

Jack Crow looked at the two people who stood outside the rather large mansion. One of them was obviously a watcher, whilst the second had to be the independent hunter he had mentioned. He pulled the truck to a halt and got out.

"Wait here padre," Jack told his friend.

"Jack Crow?" Xander asked, as the tall man came to a halt in front of him and removed his shades.

"That's right," Jack replied. "So why did you call us and let us know where the Hellmouth was, after keeping it a secret for so long?" Jack asked in an aggressive tone.

"That was my idea Jack," Xander told him, while stepping forward.

"You? The independent hunter, the watcher mentioned?" Jack inquired, still not trusting them.

"That's right Jack," Xander said with a sigh, not liking how aggressive the guy was, even though he had been warned beforehand how he acted. "I don't work for anyone and my only concern is saving people's lives and killing vampires and demons," he continued. "Things have to change between the different organizations out there. About how they interact with each other and so on," he added.

"What do you mean kid?" Jack asked, as he lit another cigar.

"There's a lot to cover Jack, so pick one of your team and we'll go inside and bring you up to speed, okay? By the way, the manor is owned by two members of the Hellsing organization," Xander informed him.

Jack looked between the two for a few moments, before walking over to collect the padre and to tell the rest of his team go check into the nearest motel, whilst they found out what was going on and why two of the bitterest rivals suddenly seemed to be cooperating.

"Alright kid, let's talk," Jack said, as he and the padre walked over, as the trucks reversed and left the manor grounds.

"One more thing Jack, the two Hellsing members are," Xander started to say before Jack cut him off.

"Don't tell me, they're vampires" Jack sighed. "I already know they employ at least three Nosferatu level vamps," he added. "The Vatican tried to force them to be executed, but the Hellsing organization basically told them where to get off," Jack said with a smirk.

"So I guess I can count on you not to try and kill them then and just listen to what's going on?" Xander asked.

"Okay kid. I don't trust any vamp, especially not ones with the power the Nosferatu have, but the ones who work for the Hellsing organization have good reputations, so I'm willing to listen to them and if needed to, work with them, but I will never trust them," Jack told him straight out.

"It'll do for now, but after we have dealt with our problem Jack, I want to talk to you about how things need to change if we are to have any hope of actually making a bigger difference in this war," Xander replied.

Jack gave him a long look, as if judging what he had told him, before giving a small nod in return as Jack himself had grown quite tired with the way the arguments between the different organizations actually helped the things they fought.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Walking the Path Chapter 17

Jack and the padre sat down at the table indicated by Xander and noticed there were three women and two girls already there. He guessed one of the girls was there watcher's slayer.

Mr. Sabuto joined the group straight away, whilst Xander went to get Lilith and Adrian, now that Jack had promised not to cause any problems by trying to attack them. He found them in the next room and quickly told them it was all clear and then headed back to the kitchen followed by the two Nosferatu.

"Okay, let's get started. The quicker we have our talk, the quicker we can get out there and check out the mouth of hell," Jack said aggressively, as he saw the two Nosferatu enter the room.

"Calm down Jack. Rushing things here will get you and your team dead," Xander told the older hunter. "The Hellmouth is not something to take lightly," he added.

"Plus we have a lot to talk about, including why we asked you to come here," Mr. Sabuto spoke up. "But first I think introductions are in order," he continued. "This is Kendra my slayer," he indicated the African slayer.

"I am Father Adam Guiteau," the padre added.

"To his left is my mother Jessica," Xander started, before Jack cut him off.

"You mother, what the hell is she doing here?" Jack asked in surprise.

"She's a witch, as is Amy and Janna, who are next to her," Xander said, frowning at Jack's tone of voice.

"I see, well I guess that just adds some firepower to your group, although technically we aren't allowed to work with witches," Jack replied with a smile. "But I'll use any advantage to take out the enemy," he added, as he noticed the kids frown deepened.

"Good," Xander said, glad that was out of the way. "And this are Lilith and Adrian Tepes of the Hellsing organization," he pointed to the two Nosferatu.

"I've met him before," Jack said, reigning in the urge to attack the two vampires, as he had promised.

"Yeah, well keep it where it belongs, in the past," Janna told the man, she wasn't sure she actually liked him too much.

"Now the reason why we asked you here is somewhat complicated, but first have you heard of the Scourge of Europe?" Xander asked.

"Yes we have extensive records of their activities and the death toll they left behind them," Father Adam finally spoke up, looking a little pale as he remembered just how much death the four vampires, who made up the Scourge, had caused.

"Well here is the current situation. Darla is dead, she was staked last year, but we are facing the remaining three members Angelus, Drusilla and Spike," Xander informed them.

"Where has Angelus been for the last century? Our records on him seem to stop, as if he just disappeared." Father Adam inquired

"He attacked a gypsy tribe at the turn of the century, killing one of their most cherished daughters and so in return, my people cursed him with his soul," Janna explained. "I was sent here to make sure that the curse held, but I was unable to stop it from being broken," she added.

"How was it broken?" Jack asked intrigued.

"He fell in love with the slayer assigned to the Hellmouth, named Buffy," Xander replied. "She returned his affection and eventually they ended up making love and thus gave Angel, as he was called then, a moment of true happiness, which broke the curse and unleashed Angelus once more," he added.

"Since then he hooked up with Spike and Drusilla again, who were already fighting our group, however Buffy and her group have refused to do anything to stop Angelus," he finished, as he stood up and began to pace a little.

"Why?" Jack asked, now angry at the notion of a slayer not during her duty. "And how are there two slayers? I always thought there was only supposed to be one slayer alive at a time."

"To answer your first question, Buffy still loves Angel and is doing everything she can to somehow bring him back and the others, including her watcher, are allowing her to do this, just to keep her happy," Janna answered. "I was working on translating the soul curse and was willing to try and cast it. I already knew it was too powerful a spell for me to cast and then I discovered that it would not just be a risk to me or my soul if I did cast it," she continued.

"What does that mean?" Father Adam inquired.

"I have found out recently that I am pregnant and so I refused to cast the spell, which angered Buffy and her group," Janna answered. "One of them believed she could cast the spell, even though she has never cast a spell in her life before, so Alex decided to destroy the disk, which contained the translated soul curse," Janna explained. "What really brought it home to me was how little Buffy seemed to realize the danger involved in the casting of this spell, as she was actually willing to allow Willow to cast the spell," she said with a shake of her head.

"Okay. Now how about you tell us how there are two slayers?" Jack asked, filing away what he had just learned for later, as he didn't like the sounds of it for one bit

"Buffy was killed last year, facing off against the Master, the leader of the Hellmouth vampires at the time. He drained her a little and then dropped her in a pool of water, where she drowned," Xander started to explain. "I forced Angel to take me to the caves where the master was located and was able to bring her back with CPR, but seen as she was dead for a few minutes it was long enough for Kendra to be called," he continued. "And I am glad she was, at least we have one slayer who is willing to slay Angelus," he added at the end.

"Sounds like one hell of a bad situation," Jack said with a frown.

"Tell me about it," Xander said with a shake of his head. "We almost got killed on our last patrol until Lilith and Adrian turned up and saved us. We didn't have the numbers or the right weapons to really do any damage," he told the Vatican hunters.

"And so you managed to convince the watcher to contact the Vatican?" Jack asked sounding a little impressed with how Xander managed that task.

"Not all watchers agree with how our bosses conduct relations with the other organizations across the world Mr. Crow," Mr. Sabuto informed them. "I hope that after this situation is finished, that we can try and change how we deal with each other and maybe begin to form an alliance and really pull our resources together to really make some headway in dealing with the darkness we face," he added.

"Sounds good to me, but do you actually think that we can pull it off?" Father Adam asked, with hope that it was possible to stop the arguments that stopped the forces against evil from pulling together.

"It is possible Father, if enough people push for it," Lilith spoke for the first time, ignoring the look of hate on Jack Crow's face.

"The Hellsing organization has tried many times to pull together an alliance of forces to combat our many enemies, but has failed due to infighting and fear by the leaders of our respective groups," Adrian added.

"You mean fear of losing power?" Jessica said- "That they wouldn't be in control of their group anymore?" she added.

"Yes, they believe an alliance would mean a loss of power for themselves," Lilith said with a nod.

"Which means it's the way an alliance has been proposed, which is causing the problem," Janna said thoughtfully.

"Enough of this," Jack interrupted annoyed. "Can we get down to how we are going to deal with the vampires?" he added.

"Of course," Mr. Sabuto agreed with a nod.

"Right, how many vamps do you think we are up against?" Jack inquired.

"A lot," Xander replied with a frown.

"How can you be sure?" Father Adam asked.

"The Hellmouth attracts more vampires and demons than anywhere else I'm betting and even though we've reduced some of his following, as did Lilith and Adrian when they arrived they'll have more due to their reputation alone," he explained as evidence.

"How many men do you have in your team?" Jessica asked, hoping the Vatican's team would give them an edge.

"There are a total of seventeen of us," Jack answered. "With a range of weapons, including firearms, even though they don't have the ability to kill them, they do weaken them," he added.

"You don't have bullets that kill vampires?" Amy asked surprised.

"Not everyone has the same capabilities and weaponry," Adrian pointed out.

"Would you be willing to share the ammunition for this hunt?" Xander asked carefully, knowing he was trading on dangerous grounds.

"If Mr. Crow does not try to keep any for his people, so that they can use them to reverse engineer them for his own side," Lilith replied. "When we try and start bringing our organizations together, we will begin to discuss exchanging weapons and ammo," she added, as the two Vatican hunters frowned.

"You got a deal lady," Jack growled. "And if we do get to a point where we try and form an alliance, you can believe me that you'll have my support and my voice carries some weight with the Vatican teams," he added.

"Thanks Jack, okay let's start planning our hunt," Kendra said, having listened carefully to everything that had been said so far, learning everything she could for the future.

On the other plain Cassandra and the tall man watched with pleased expressions, as the first meeting went well. Xander had already gained the trust of Lilith and Adrian and was doing well so far in his dealings with Jack Crow.

"Excellent, he shows much promise for the future," the tall man said with a smile.

"Indeed my lord and he has even gained Vlad's approval, as my husband has decided to talk to Alexander mind to mind, throughout his quest," Cassandra added.

"It says a lot about his character," the tall man told her. "You may visit him for half an hour in his dream tonight as promised, but remember no matter how much you wish to, you cannot tell him of what is to come," he added.

"I know my lord and thank you, I will not abuse your trust," Cassandra replied, frilled with what she was about to be able to do.

Angelus watched as his followers began to gather for the nights attack. He knew Harris and his group would not be able to resist coming out to patrol in the hopes of killing him. So he had decided he was going to just go for overwhelming force against them. It may not be a very imaginative way of killing them, but it was the quickest way of doing it and he wanted to get back to tormenting Buffy, before he finally turned her.

He was even counting on the extra numbers, including Drusilla and Spike, who was now walking around again much to his annoyance, to be able to deal with the two strangers who had turned up. He smiled in anticipation of the fight to come

Cassandra shook her head at the arrogance of the vampire Angelus. He truly believed his pitiful plan would succeed in killing Alexander and his group. He was not taking into account that any new factors could turn up, as it had the night before. It was clear to her his imprisonment inside his souled self had not done Angelus any favors.

The vampire had no idea what was in store for him and his followers that night. With the combined force that Alexander had called together, there would be no stopping them from destroying the remaining members of the Scourge of Europe and afterwards he would be able to finally begin his quest.

"Okay so we are agreed. All of us will go on the hunt tonight," Jack said, as he stood up."Full weapons and whatever armor we can use," he added.

"We'll all be armed with the same ammo for any fire arms we use, provided by Lilith and Adrian," Xander added, as they replayed the plans they had made.

"The formation we use tonight will ensure we won't be caught out by any attacks from behind, as thanks to Team Crow, we have the numbers now to split up," Mr. Sabuto put in.

"We won't be far away from each other. The second team will just be ghosting the first one and if they try to overwhelm us, then we will charge in, catching them by surprise, as Angelus and his followers have no idea we have gotten some reinforcements. Except for Lilith and Adrian," Janna continued the flow of the conversation.

"I think there is one more thing we should do before tonight," Xander said after a few minutes of deep thought.

Janna looked at her lover and seemed to understand what was going through his mind. She admired his hopeful optimism, but she didn't believe for an instant it would work and so decided to head him.

"Alex they will not help us, you know that," she told him, before anyone else could say anything. "Buffy will not, now or ever, kill Angelus and the others will not help us without her say so," she continued. "Just let them go, they have chosen their path and we have chosen ours," she finished.

Xander looked at her long and hard for a few minutes, as a war raged inside of his heart. He knew Janna was right and yet a very small part of him was clinging to the past friendship he once had with Buffy and the others.

He closed his eyes and finally decided now was the time to cut those bonds, as they were no longer important in the eyes of Buffy and the others, as far as they were concerned and so they shouldn't mean anything to him either. He had other priorities now, top of which was the beautiful woman who was currently watching him in concern.

He opened his eyes to look at her and gave her a small smile.

"You're right Janna. They have chosen their path and we have chosen ours," he repeated what she had just told him. "They won't help us, not now," he added.

"Are you sure of that a hundred percent?" Jack asked, not quite believing that a slayer could turn her back on her calling so easily, and all for a vampire.

"You don't know Buffy Summers Jack. From everything Alex and Janna have told me she'll cling to Angel for as long as he is alive," Jessica informed him.

"How is that possible?" Father Adam asked concerned. "How can a slayer fall so far?" he asked a second later.

"Miss Summers was never raised from birth by the council, as every other slayer has been since the council was formed," Mr. Sabuto explained. "She grew up as a normal teenager, before she was located by Merrik, her first watcher and whilst she proved to be a good slayer, whilst he was alive, his death affected her badly," he continued. "When she was forced out of LA, she decided according to Mr. Giles' report, that she was no longer going to continue to be the Slayer, however things did not go according to her plans, but still the fact is she was never a conventional slayer," he finished.

"Plus Giles never really tried to exert his control over her and was quite happy to allow her to lead, something which she has come to rely on," Xander added.

"Which opened the way for her to have a relationship with a vampire correct?" Lilith inquired.

"Exactly," Xander agreed. "Giles was originally against it, but he quickly came to accept it. Most likely to make up for the guilt he felt in how Buffy died last year," he added.

"That's messed up," Jack told them with a disgusted look on his face. "How can any human have sex with a corpse?" he asked.

"I think she forgot he was a vampire and saw him more as a human than a vampire," Janna said thoughtfully.

"Sick," Jack mumbled in response, to which the others all nodded in agreement.

"Okay let's get ready for tonight," Adrian said after a few seconds of silence.

"We'll be back at nightfall, after we fill the team in on what's going on and don't worry kid. I'll guarantee they won't attack those two," Jack told them, as he and Father Adam left the manor.

"I will prepare the ammo we will need for tonight," Adrian said, before he headed for the armory.

"Alexander we have four hours before night falls, so let us begin your and Janna's training in ancient magic," Lilith said, as she stood up, whilst Xander and Janna shared a quick look before they nodded and then followed her out, leaving the others to sit and talk about the upcoming fight.

Cassandra and the tall man watched as Alexander and Janna began the most important part of their training, learning to control the ancient magic of the gypsies.

"Everything is now in place for tonight's fight," the tall man said with a smile of anticipation.

"I still say you place too much faith in the boy," the short man replied, as he returned.

"You have already been warned Tanith," the tall man replied, glaring at the power that be's representative.

"Sorry my Lord," Tanith responded, not liking how things in Sunnydale were changing, as well as the fact that Alexander and his group were now outside of the powers control.

"Why have you returned?" Cassandra asked.

"I asked him here to witness if Alexander and his group will indeed pass this test, as we believe he will," the tall man told her. "I think the powers need to see what we see in them, so they can stop worrying so much," he added with a warning look at Tanith, who paled at the implications he saw in that look.

"As you wish my Lord," Cassandra said, even if she didn't like it one bit, as she did not trust the powers that be very much, especially Tanith.

"Now before they begin their test, we should discuss what will happen in Sunnydale once Alexander and his group have left," the tall man told them both.

The two beings with him both bowed at his command and then they waited for him to speak again about how things would progress from here.

"The second slayer Kendra and her watcher will remain on the Hellmouth, as well as a Vatican team who will arrive in two weeks time," the tall man told them both.

"Why not keep Jack Crow and his group on the Hellmouth?" Tanith asked, hoping to land control of the best of the Vatican teams.

"Jack Crow's destiny is not to guard the Hellmouth, but to follow his own path which will cross with Alexander's at different points along the way," the tall man answered, noticing the frown his answer caused to appear on Tanith's face.

"Lilith and Adrian will remain with Alexander and his group until the end. Their destiny is now tired together, due to Vlad's orders," the tall man continued. "All of them are out the powers control. Is that understood Tanith?" the tall man asked in a dangerous tone.

"Yes my Lord," Tanith replied, hating the decree instantly, but knowing he could do nothing but to obey it as he was sworn to do.

"Now lets us watch how events unfold," the tall man said after observing Tanith for a few minutes, whilst Cassandra frowned at the look on Tanith's face, which made her distrust of the powers deepen even more.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Walking the Path Chapter 18

As night began to fall Xander and the others began to gear up for the hunt. Adrian had prepared as many weapons, as they had in the mansion, for the whole group. He had explained that not every gun in the world could take the special explosive rounds which dusted vampires. Luckily the two Nosferatu had plenty of ammo.

Xander had made some progress in his handling of the sword which he now carried in a long leather duster, which Vlad had sent along with Lilith and Adrian, it had a scabbard inside of it and when he had put it on Janna had commented how good he looked in it, which seemed to amuse his mother and Amy.

Janna had begun to learn how different the ancient magic of the Romany was to the magic which was used now. Xander seemed to have less trouble in learning the basics, due to the fact that he had never been trained in any magic before, which meant he did not have to relearn anything.

Jack Crow and his full team arrived a few minutes later and aside from some dark looks towards Lilith and Adrian they just grabbed some of the weapons on the table and prepared for the fight ahead. Jack and the padre looked far more serious than they had during their meeting, which made Xander feel better about their capabilities.

"Okay, is everyone ready?" Mr. Sabuto asked.

There were nods from everyone in the room. The watcher noted that everyone in the room, bar the two Nosferatu, had grabbed some stakes and some of Team Crow were armed with crossbows.

"The first group led by Xander and his crew will leave in a minute, followed by the Hellsing members," Jack told his team. "We will leave a minute or so later and keep them in sight. We will only engage once the Scourge of Europe had entered the fight. Is that clear?" he added in with a commanding voice.

Team Crow responded by shouting at the top of their voices, whilst they pumped their weapon arms in the air. Xander guessed it had something to do with team spirit.

"Let's get it done," Xander told his group, as he walked towards the door.

'Indeed young one,' Vlad's voice whispered inside his mind, reminding Xander that the great Nosferatu could now do that any time he liked.

Alucard smiled in anticipation, as he viewed events through the growing link he had managed to forge with Alexander. He was about to see just what the young man was really capable of.

Seras was beside him and was viewing the events through her own link to Alucard, to see why her master was so interested in the bearer of the sword.

Angelus walked at the head of a total of forty vampires along with Drusilla to his left and the newly healed Spike to his right. He was very confident that the numbers they had would easily overwhelm Harris and his group.

Spike had done nothing but boost about how he was single handled going to kill the African slayer, making his total of slayer killings to three to rival Darla. Angelus was used to the blonds bragging, but the mention of his sire had made Angelus wish he could actually kill his souled self for what he had done to Darla last year. He wished she had survived to be with him now after his rebirth.

Drusilla was for once clear headed, as she sensed how dangerous things had become to her lover and sire, even though a part of her was focused on turning her kitten instead of killing him, as Angelus wished.

Xander pulled his group to a stop, as he sensed something was coming their way from ahead of them.

"Quick behind the mausoleum, let's try and catch them by surprise," he told them and moved towards the tall building to his right, followed a few seconds later by the others.

'Nice,' Vlad commented through their link, appreciating the tactic.

"How many do you think he's managed to bring?" Mr. Sabuto asked.

"All of his follower, knowing dead boy," Xander replied. "Janna I want you, mom and Amy to cast fire spells when they pass, but wait until you see their middle lines," he added, to which the three women nodded

"Then what?" Kendra asked, fighting her desire to attack head on.

"I'm going for Angelus, Kendra you have either Spike or Drusilla, your choice," Xander answered. "Anyone else is fair game for the others," he said a second later, as he pulled the sword from his back and closed his eyes as he whispered a quick prayer, which amused Vlad.

"Alex, are sure you can take Angelus?" Jessica asked her son.

"He tried to kill not only the woman I love, but our unborn child as well. He's mine," Xander almost growled, as he felt something deep within him shift inside his mind and suddenly he realized he had fully tapped into what was left of the hyena spirit.

"They're coming," Amy whispered, as she prepared her flame spell.

The others all prepared for the attack, as Lilith and Adrian landed on top of the mausoleum, with their hand cannons loaded. Their father had already relayed Alexander's plan to them through their mind link to their father.

They both approved of his attack plan, as it gave them the element of surprise. They looked over the cemetery and soon pin pointed the approaching vampires.

Angelus noticed they were just passing the tall mausoleum Buffy and her group usually passed on patrol, but there was no sign of the blond slayer or any of her friends. Not that he was surprised by this, since he had become his true self once more, she had rarely patrolled anywhere she thought she might encounter him. This made him smile, as he loved how his rebirth had messed with her head. It was why he loved to torture his victims, as he had before he had turned Drusilla.

Suddenly seven of the vampires in the middle of their group burst into flame, before becoming nothing but dust. The rest of the vampires spread out and looked around for the source of the attack. Angelus narrowed his eyes straining to hear anything when two big booms echoed across the cemetery, dusting two more of his followers.

A second later Harris emerged from behind the mausoleum with a sword, which glowed with purple tendrils of magic in one hand and a handgun in the other. He pointed it at the closest vampire next to him and fired, before he dropped the weapon and charged against him. He saw the vampire turn to dust, before he braced himself for Harris' charge.

He saw the rest of Harris' group charge out to join him, including the African slayer who went straight for Drusilla. The two strangers who had helped them the night before also dropped into the fight from the top of the mausoleum with two large handguns and it took him only a second to see, before Harris collided with him, that the strangers were not human.

Jack Crow and Father Adam trailed the kid and his group, as they moved through the cemetery, their team followed as quietly as possible with their weapons ready for a surprise attack. He noticed the kid pull his group to a stop before they hid behind a rather tall mausoleum.

"What are they doing?" the padre asked, as he readied his weapon which he was now well used to, after his experience with Valik.

"I think they are about to spring an ambush, padre," Jack replied as he signaled his men to get ready. "This kid is smarter than I gave him credit for," he added with a smile.

They watched as a rather large group of vampires began to pass the mausoleum without a clue about what was about to happen, Jack smiled as seven of the vampires suddenly were turned to dust from the witches combined attack, which just made Jack's attitude towards using them in his fight all the more fitting.

He tensed, as he watched the kid finally charged out, heading straight towards one of the leaders of the vampiric horde and he guessed that this one was Angelus. He saw the slayer head towards the leading female vampire, which he assumed was Drusilla, which left the one known as Spike or William the Bloody to him.

"Let's introduce ourselves," Jack said, before he charged out, straight for the blond headed vampire, who was about to attack the slayer from behind.

Buffy led her small group through the second of the cemetery's they had patrolled that night for any signs of Xander and Kendra. She was determined, no matter what Mr. Sabuto had threatened her with, to stop them from killing Angel.

She was certain, that if she stopped them from killing him, they would eventually decide that using the soul curse would be the best option and then she would have her boyfriend back. She looked behind her to see Giles and Willow discussing something, whilst Oz and Cordelia brought up the rear, looking slightly nervous about what they were trying to do.

She stopped, as she caught the sounds of what could only be described as gun fire which didn't make sense to her, as guns did not kill vampires and she couldn't see either Kendra or Mr. Sabuto using them in a fight.

"Giles?" she asked and looked to her watcher, noting he had heard the shots as well.

"I'm not sure, but maybe Xander decided to use some modern weapons to wound Angelus to give him an advantage," he advised.

"Let's go check it out," Buffy said after a minute, as she decided she couldn't take the chance not to look, just encase Giles was right.

The others looked between each other, before they shrugged their shoulders and followed the blond slayer with increasing fear.

Xander snarled as he was thrown back from Angelus once more, this time with a cut down his arm, but he ignored the pain as he continued to circle the insane vampire.

"You're a fool Harris coming out to find me again," Angelus taunted him.

Before Xander could reply Team Crow charged out of hiding and straight into the fight, with Jack heading straight for Spike. Xander smiled as Angelus looked on in outrage, as his plan began to fall apart.

"As I said before dead boy, a bit over confident aren't you?" Xander finally spoke, as he echoed what he had said when they had faced off in the school, before he attacked again. He swung the sword at first to the right, but as Angelus went to defend himself from the attack he turned the swing to the left and caught Angelus in the side and drawing blood, whilst Angelus growled in pain.

Kendra shook her head and ignored the pain from the cut on her forehead, as she continued to face off against the dark haired vampires.

"Come on love, look at me," Drusilla said in a whisper trying to make the African slayer look her in the eyes, so that she could try to bring her hypnotic powers to the fore, however the slayer just charged again.

Kendra knew better than to look the vampire in the eyes, as Mr. Sabuto had warned her twice before they had come out to patrol that Drusilla had very powerful hypnotic powers and if she fell under her sway, she would end up dead very quickly, unless she could snap herself out of it again pretty fast.

She launched a powerful combination of fists which Drusilla blocked, before she spun into a side kick and caught the vampire by surprise with it. She knocked her of balance and followed the attack up with an upper hand drive straight into the vampire's throat, which sent Dru to the ground with wide eyes

Jack Crow almost smiled at the over confidence of Spike, as he tried to land a blow. After fighting a vampire of Valik's strength this one appeared almost easy.

Valik had been one of the strongest and fastest vampires he had ever come across and the fight had almost cost him his life, like it had cost the lives of his original team, but he had survived thanks to the padre and his lost friend.

He punched Spike in the nose and smirked, as he heard the sound of broken bones before he shot his leg out and caught the vampire in the gut, which caused it to double over. He took a moment to look around and noticed two of his men were dead, causing him to frown before he took stock of the fact that almost half of the vampires had been dusted, especially by the skill of the two Nosferatu. He also noticed three more of his men seemed badly injured and were being covered by two others, but it seemed the attack was going well so far. Spike's fist to his chest brought him back to his own fight and he quickly side stepped another powerful lunge, before he pulled a stake from his belt and shoved it into the vampire's chest causing his eyes to widen in shock.

"Crap," was all Spike could say, as he tried to cry for Drusilla, before he turned to dust.

"Trash," Jack spat, before he quickly headed towards the padre who was just holding of a rather large vampire who had knocked him to the ground.

Lilith and Adrian dispatched vampire after vampire with quick ease, as they made sure to keep Janna, Jessica and Amy in their sights. They had given their word to keep them safe during the attack and they knew they had to keep it, if they were to ensure Alexander kept to the right path.

Kendra cried out as she hit the ground and hold her broken arm as softly as she could. The attack from Drusilla had caught her off guard, as she had believed she had the upper hand in the fight, she should have known better, she had allowed herself to grow too confident.

"Time to die dear," she heard Drusilla whisper as she was pulled to her feet and her eyes finally met those of the vampire.

As soon as they did her arms went slack, as she fell into a hypnotic spell. Her eyes went wide, as they stared into those of the vampire who just smiled at her, ready to avenge the death of her childe who she had felt die moments ago.

She moved her left arm around the slayers neck and holds her standing, whilst she raised her right hand ready to sweep it across the girl's throat to slit it with her nails in an instant, which would leave her to die slowly.

Before she could bring her right arm down in the killing arc, her eyes widened as she felt something rip straight through her chest, before she could analyze what it was, she turned to dust leaving Kendra to fall to her knees in pain, as she came out of the trance.

"Kendra?" Mr. Sabuto's voice broke through the pain and made her focus on her watcher.

"Thank you," she whispered. "My arm is broken," she added a second later, as she cradled it once more.

"It's okay we've almost finished it," Mr. Sabuto told her, as he picked up the gun he had dropped as he had attacked Drusilla with his last stake. He checked how many rounds he had left and cursed, as he noticed his was down to half a clip.

Xander pulled himself back to his feet trying to ignore the pain from his side where Angelus claw had caught him. He raised the sword into a defensive hold, as Angelus circled him.

'Wait for him to attack young one and do not over balance on your swing, as you have done so far,' Vlad advised him through the link.

'Thanks,' he replied mentally, as he readied himself just as he noticed Buffy and her group come into sight which made him groan in annoyance.

'Ignore them, they are of no importance right now,' Vlad told him, as Angelus once more attacked.

Xander just managed to side step the attack using the left over traits of the hyena to boost his speed, before he brought his sword up making sure to keep eye contact with Buffy, as she tried to run towards them intent on stopping him, before bringing his sword down with a powerful swing which cut straight into Angelus, who was just turning back towards him from his own over balanced attack.

The sword boosted by the magic within it cut deep into Angelus' neck, stopping about mid way, as Buffy's cry of anguish finally reached him.

"I told you at the hospital you would die and I would be there to see it," Xander told the shocked vampire, who was coughing up blood.

Xander concentrated on the runes of the sword and tried to forge a link to the magic it held. Suddenly the sword became engulfed in flame which quickly turned Angelus into ball of flame before he then turned to dust. He turned as he saw Buffy come close to him, before she stopped as she witnessed the death of Angelus, taking with him any chance of saving Angel. Giles and the others came up behind her, as the last of the vampires who had followed them fled in fear at seeing all three remaining members of the Scourge of Europe die.

"How could you?" Buffy asked through her tears.

"Someone had to," Xander replied coldly, as he walked away to where the others were gathering.

He walked straight to where Janna stood. She looked at him with concern, as she saw he was injured. He pulled her into a tight hug before he pulled back and kissed her deeply, which she gladly returned much to the amusement of the others, bar Buffy and her group who looked on darkly especially Buffy herself and Giles.

"How did we do, Jack?" Xander asked as he ended the kiss.

"Not bad kid," Jack replied. "I lost five of my team, but still we just wiped out almost forty vamps and the left over members of the Scourge of Europe. So I'd say it was worth it," Jack replied, as he watched the padre begin last rights for those of the team who had fallen, before they made sure they wouldn't turn.

'Well done young one. You show much promise for the future,' Vlad's voice echoed inside his mind, before he felt the presence vanish.

"Kendra, are you okay?" Xander asked, as he noticed the African slayer holding her left arm.

"Thanks to Mr. Sabuto I am," Kendra replied, as she leaned against her watcher, who just smiled. "I just have a broken arm and some cuts and bruises," she added.

"Let's get back to the mansion, so that we can see to the injured," Lilith spoke up, as she looked around the surrounding area.

"What do we do about them?" Adrian asked and pointed to where Buffy and her group still stood, as he noticed Jack Crow and two of his men chopped the heads off the dead members of his crew, before they burned their bodies, as the Vatican demanded they do, to stop them from rising as vampires again.

"Bring them with us, so we can have a rather long discussion and make sure they understand that they are in a lot of trouble, as it is clear Miss Summers ignored my warnings not to interfere in our hunt," Mr. Sabuto answered.

"Plus I want a word with them as well," Jack growled out, as he walked back over to them.

"Then let's move it. I think we could do with a sit down," Xander said, as he leaned against Janna, whilst Jessica and Amy used some ripped fabric to try to stem the bleeding in his side.

Cassandra looked on in joy as Alexander and his group defeated the Scourge of Europe. He and his followers passed the first major test safely and with few causalities. She noticed Tanith frown as he watched the battle. She then smiled, as she watched the power that be's own champion just fall apart and start to cry, as she witnessed the death of Angelus.

"Excellent," the tall man said with a rather large smile. "Now do you see why we put such faith in them?" he asked Tanith.

"That was only one test my lord. They have a long way to go, before they prove themselves to us," Tanith replied, before he walked away and vanished.

"Prideful fool," Cassandra hissed in anger.

"Perhaps, but there is always room to learn that not everything is as you see it at first," the tall man told her. "I hope you enjoy your talk to Alexander tonight," he added, before he too vanished, leaving Cassandra to smile in anticipation of finally being able to talk to Alexander when he went to sleep.

Alucard and Seras stood in Sir Integra's study as they reported what had happened during Alexander's and his group's fight.

"They wiped out not only the Scourge of Europe, but nearly forty vampires?" Sir Integra asked, seeking clarification.

"That is correct master," Alucard answered.

"Seras what did you think?" Sir Integra decided to get someone else's view.

"He shows great promise, Sir Integra," Seras replied with a smile. "He was injured and he still has much to learn about fighting, but I believe he will live to learn it and be a great ally to us," she added.

"Very well," Sir Integra said, as she stood up and walked over to the window. "Send word to Lilith and Adrian to ask him to join us," she ordered.

"With respect master, I do not believe that is the best cause of action at this time," Alucard told her.

"Why not?" Sir Integra asked with a frown.

"Alexander wishes to begin to build a new alliance between the different organizations around the world who fight the darkness and I believe the best thing he has on his side in his endeavor, is that he belongs to none of the organizations he wishes to unite," Alucard advised her.

"I see," Sir Integra said thoughtfully. "Very well, we shall hold off the invitation for now, but if he fails to build an alliance then we shall offer him a chance to join us," she added.

"I think that will work master, as I cannot see him working for the watcher's council due to how they think and the Vatican council is too strict in how they fight the darkness and how they are against using witches," Alucard informed her.

"And seen as his lover, his mother and his friend are all witches, that would be a huge problem if they tried to get Alexander to join them," Seras added with a smile as she followed her master's train of thought.

"Indeed," Alucard said with smirk.

"Then for now we shall wait and see how things progress, dismissed," Sir Integra said.

The two Nosferatu both bowed and left her study, leaving Sir Integra with her thoughts as she sat back down and began to write a report.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Walking the Path Chapter 19

Xander winced as Lilith finally finished patching up the wound in his side. Janna looked to the other injured, including Kendra, and saw they were spread across the large living room of the manor. Buffy was still crying her eyes out in the corner, surrounded by Giles and the others.

Xander knew the night was not over by a long shot, but all he wanted to do was to crawl into bed alongside Janna and sleep. He was more tired than he had ever been before and he could see most of the others were feeling the same.

Finally Lilith stepped away as she finished bandaging his side and he gave her a grateful nod of thanks, as he eased himself into a sitting position, so that they could start the conversation on what had happened.

"You okay Alex? Amy asked, as she walked over to him and handed him a cup of tea.

"I will be thanks to Lilith's medical skills," Xander replied with a smile to ensure his friend knew he was serious.

"You will find, that after living so long, there is little you do not learn at least a little about," Lilith told them with a grin, as she sat back joined a second later by Adrian, who had helped Mr. Zabuto to set Kendra's broken arm.

"So what's first to sort out?" Janna asked, as she sat next to Xander and leaned into him.

"Miss Summers and her groups' refusal to stay out of our way, as we attempted to kill Angelus, should be first I think, as it will most likely take a while," Mr. Zabuto answered looking tired.

"Agreed, but hopefully this won't take as long as you think," Jack said with a snarl as he looked at the pathetic site of the blond slayer crying over a vampire, as evil as Angelus had been.

"I will summon them," Adrian said, as he stood and made his way over to Buffy's group.

The others watched as Giles and the others looked at the Nosferatu with dislike and anger, before they followed in his wake back to the couches and armchairs spread around the room's middle. Buffy was been guided by Willow, who was glaring at Xander and Janna.

"Why did you bring us here?" Giles began, trying to sound confident.

"You disobeyed my order to stay out of our way, as we hunted Angelus," Mr. Zabuto replied. "You were not out tonight patrolling to look for Angelus or any other vampire," he continued. "You were out to try and stop us succeeding in our goal," he finished.

Silence met his statements, as everyone knew, including Buffy and her group, that what he had said was true. Buffy looked around trying to stem her tears so she could reply, but found she didn't know what to say in the aftermath of her boyfriend's fate.

"You silence condemns you and your group," Jack finally spat. "How can you call yourself a slayer when you shack up with a vampire of the likes of Angelus?" he asked in disgust. "Do you have any idea about the number of dead he has left behind him?" he added a second later.

"Angel was innocent of those crimes," Buffy finally managed to speak.

"And he failed to contain his evil," Janna countered. "He was supposed to make Angelus suffer for his crimes and instead he forgot about them by allowing himself to fall in love with you, a girl two century's younger and the person he was supposed to be training," she added with fire. "He believed himself free of those crimes, when the truth is that as long as he lived he should have been trying to pay for those crimes," she finished with a glare at the sobbing girl.

"That is enough," Giles shouted and moved forward.

"Wrong Giles," Xander told the watcher, as he stood up. He ignored the pain from his side. "Tell me, do you remember what Angel did during the harvest? The night Willow and I found out about you and Buffy?" he asked.

"He gave us help," Buffy spat, before Giles could answer.

"Wrong Buffy, he refused to help us. He took no part in the fight against the master's forces, he didn't even come with me and you to try and rescue Jessie," Xander shot back in a heated tone. "I put Jessie's fate on his head, because maybe, just maybe if he had been more active in his help, instead of trying to capture your attention, we may have been able to save Jessie, instead of me having to stake him to save Cordelia's life," he added.

Buffy refused to comment and just buried her head on Willow's shoulder and continued to cry, whilst the others looked on in various degrees of anger or disgust, including Kendra who's view of her sister slayer had been forever changed, whilst Giles and the rest of Buffy's group glared at Xander.

"I am afraid a full accounting of events in Sunnydale will be sent to the council. I gave you a chance to salvage something from this disaster, but your continued failures force me to carry out my threat," Mr. Zabuto said, with a shake of his head.

"You can't do that. The council may try and retire Buffy," Giles spluttered in horror.

"Oh no, they won't," Xander said with a dark smile. "She won't get off the hook that easily Giles. She has to make up for the mess she has helped to create," he continued.

"Agreed, with the backing of the majority of the council Travers will have no choice, but to leave Miss Summers where she is, to continue her calling," Mr. Zabuto picked up from where Xander had finished.

"You can't be sure of that though," Giles tried to argue.

"Actually I can, especially with some backing from Mr. Crow, the Vatican and the Hellsing organization as well," Mr. Zabuto replied with a smile.

"You will have all the help you need Mr. Zabuto," Lilith told him. "I am sure that I speak for the entire Hellsing organization, that so far we are appalled by Miss Summers actions and that she needs to make up for the mistakes she has made," she added.

"Same goes for me and the Vatican," Jack agreed with a nod of his head.

Giles seemed to finally focus on something other than his slayers fate when he realized, whom the other people in the room represented.

"How did you get here? The Vatican doesn't know where the Hellmouth is located," Giles asked in disbelief.

"I sent for them at Xander's request," Mr. Zabuto responded. "It is time that things change in how we handle affairs with the other organizations and this seemed a good way to start," he added.

"And our business here is none of your concern," Lilith replied to Giles' question with a glare.

"I think we've said enough to get though to them for now and it is getting late," Jack said with an evil smile.

Giles looked around the room and did not see one friendly face. He shook his head knowing he had a lot of thinking to do, if he was to come up with a way out of this situation for his group. He turned and led Buffy and the others out of the mansion and back towards the library.

"Do you think he will try and stop what you're about to do?" Adrian asked.

"Most likely, but I will be put in the call to Mr. Travers straight after we finish our business for tonight, so he will have an uphill struggle if he does," Mr. Zabuto answered and leaned back into his chair.

"So do we have anymore business for tonight? Because I don't know about you, but I can barely stay on my feet." Jack asked

"Whatever else we have to do, can wait until the morning," Xander replied. "I think we are all to tired to talk and so with Lilith's permission I think it's time to retire to bed," he said.

"The guest rooms are yours if you need them," Lilith said with a smile, as the group began to break up and head for the guest rooms, bar Jack and his team who headed for the hotel they were staying at.

Adrian watched the dispersal with a calculating manor around him. He did not share Mr. Zabuto's faith in his efforts to deal with Buffy Summers and her group. He looked to his sister and noticed she too was somewhat skeptical of the success of the watcher in his dealings with the Sunnydale group.

"We should make a report to father," Adrian finally spoke.

"There is no need Adrian. Father watched the battle from Alexander's mind," Lilith replied. "He has somehow forged a permanent link to Alexander through the runes of the sword," she continued. "I believe he intends to keep in close contact with him for a long while," she added before she walked away to her room.

Adrian did not question his sister's knowledge of what their father was doing, as she had pointed out before that she was stronger when it came to the ancient magic of their people than he was.

'I wonder what father has planned for the boy,' he thought, before he walked towards his own room.

Cassandra slipped easily into Alexander's mind as he slept and she found herself in what looked like a park. To the left she saw Alexander sitting cross legged facing his former friends Buffy and Willow. She noted both figments were fading away as if they represented Alexander's actual ties to his former friends. She moved towards him slowly, not wanting to startle him, as that would wake him up in the real world.

"Hello Alexander," she said, as she came to a halt.

He looked up at her with a frown, as if not understanding how she came to be in his dream.

"I know your voice," he replied after a few seconds. "I've heard it before," he added.

She smiled and was pleased that he had remembered the first contact she had made with him, just before Lilith and Adrian had arrived.

"Indeed Alexander," she said, as she sat in front of him, dispersing the fading images of Buffy and Willow.

"You're real?" he inquired looking slightly tense.

"I am Alexander," she answered. "My name is Cassandra," she told him.

"Who are you and why have you been talking to me?" he asked in rapid succession. "What interest am I to you?" he asked a second later.

"I am afraid, that I can tell you little at this time to answer your questions," she answered, sadly wishing that was not the way things were at this moment. "That is how it must be for now," she told him.

"And you expect me to trust you with an answer like that?" he asked with a small smile.

"I believe you will trust me Alexander," she replied with a wider smile, knowing Alexander had a great capacity to trust people, even if he wasn't sure of them completely.

"So what is it you want from me?" Xander asked after a few seconds.

"To listen to me when I come to you Alexander and as you travel on your path you will find I will visit as often, as I am allowed," she answered him.

"Okay," he said with a nod, even though he wore a confused expression on his face. "I guess I can do that, as there is something about you that I trust. I don't know what, but it's there," he added.

"I will visit again soon Alexander, for now it is time for you to sleep," she told him with a fond smile, before she stood up again and walked away, vanishing from Xander's dream, leaving him to sleep peacefully.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Walking the Path Chapter 20

Xander woke up quickly the next morning and looked around. He noticed Janna was curled up against his side and certain calmness could be felt in the room. He placed his head against the back board of their bed and thought about the dream he had the night before. He was slightly confused about it, but he was sure it had been real, as he had heard the woman's voice, Cassandra as she called herself, before, but it did not give him any answers as to why she was paying him such attention.

What was he to her that she would slip into his dreams and speak to him through his mind just as Vlad did? He felt Janna suddenly move against him and he smiled as he watched his lover wake up, he had grown quite fond of watching her wake up, as her features seemed more appealing to him than ever.

"Morning," Janna said, before she kissed him softly.

"Same to you," Xander returned. "How do you feel this morning?" he asked.

"Sick," she replied with a smile. "But that is a small price to bring a new life into this world, born of our love," she added as her smile grew bigger, as she anticipated giving birth to their child.

"I'd agree with you, but I don't go through the ups and downs of pregnancy," Xander said with a chuckle.

"Just wait and give it some time," Janna shot back at him. "When the mood swings set in, then you'll be joining me in the ups and downs of pregnancy," she warned him, wiping the smile of her lover's face.

"But that doesn't happen for a while yet, does it?" he asked.

"True, but still don't think you're going to have it easy, just because I am the one carrying our child," Janna answered, as she leaned in and kissed him again.

Cassandra chuckled to herself as she watched Alexander and Janna's conversation, they both had far to go, but she was certain that together they would reach the end of their approaching quest.

"I trust you enjoyed your talk with Alexander?" the tall man asked, as he appeared behind her.

"I did my lord," she replied, as she turned to face him. "He was slightly confused about my presence, but he accepted my offer of help and advice when I can give it," she told him.

"Good, your advice will be of great help to his quest," the tall man informed her. "But remember you can only tell him so much," he warned her. "Too much information would disrupt the balance and that must never happen," he added before he vanished.

Cassandra stared at the spot he had vanished from for a few minutes, before she turned back to the pool to see that Alexander and Janna were now up and meeting the others in the kitchen to discuss what would happen next.

"Be safe Alexander," she whispered, as she watched them.

Xander almost shot to his feet as he heard Cassandra's voice once more, but he managed to stop himself. He hadn't told Janna about the dream yet and he didn't want to worry her before he had done so.

Again he felt confusion build up in him, as he pondered why this woman was paying so much attention to him and those around him. What was it that drew her concern so much that she would offer advice to him whenever she could? He doubted he would come up with an answer anytime soon and so he tried to focus on the meeting that was about to start.

"So what did the council have to say when you put in your report?" Jessica began as she drank some of her tea that Amy had made for the meeting.

"They were quite angry to hear how far Miss Summers and Mr. Giles had fallen from their duty, especially in light of the fact that it had cost people their lives, when she allowed the vampire to escape her at the mall, as you reported when we arrived," Mr. Zabuto answered "Mr. Giles' failure to properly report events in Sunnydale drew a lot of their wrath, but as I expected I managed to get enough support, from the majority of the council, to make sure no harm will befall either of them and they will be kept on the Hellmouth to make up for their failures," he continued.

"Did they have any problems with the fact we called in a Vatican team or with the presence of two Hellsing members?" Xander inquired.

"As you requested I made sure they understood that I called in the Vatican at your own request. Seen as you seemed to be in charge of the only group, which willing to help deal with Angelus and his followers and I did not believe I had much room to refuse," he replied.

"And they accepted that?" Janna asked, as she tried to ignore the increasing feeling of wanting to be sick, as she wanted to hear how the council had reacted to everything that had happened in Sunnydale.

"Every member, bar Travers and two of his closest allies, accepted my reasoning for breaking the council's long standing rules with regards to our fellow organizations," Mr. Zabuto informed them.

"I take it Travers and his allies may become a threat?" Lilith asked. She was listing carefully to everything that was said, so that she could give a report to her father, which he then could give to Sir Hellsing

"I think he already is a threat," Mr. Zabuto said with a frown. "Travers is part of a group of leading watchers and allies who are more interested in gathering money and power, than actually fighting the darkness," he added.

This piece of information angered Kendra who so far had believed the council were all honorable people. It seemed a lot of her long held beliefs, since becoming the slayer were being destroyed during her second trip to Sunnydale. She was beginning to think this place was cursed.

"How large is this group and who is its leader?" Xander asked, as he lent forward and ignored the twinge in his side from his wound.

"Travers and his main ally Derrick Thompson lead the group, but none of us is actually sure how large the group is," Zabuto replied again frowning at this lack of knowledge on his part.

"Options?" Adrian inquired, concerned about this new information concerning the watcher's council current leader.

"We have not been able to come up with any ideas to remove any of them, especially Travers as he keeps a firm grip of the council and it is rare that we manage to put something past him, like we did last night," Zabuto answered. "We have nothing, but suspicions that he uses blackmail and threats to keep the other council members in line," he added, while noticing the growing look of anger and concern on his slayers face.

"I guess that's something we're going to have to deal with at another time," Xander sighed, not liking anything Mr. Zabuto had reported so far. "We are in no position to do anything about him at the moment," he added with a frown.

The others nodded reluctantly at his words. They too shared his discomfort about Travers and his allies, but realized there was little they could do.

"So what will you do next?" Janna asked the watcher.

"Kendra and I have been ordered to remain on the Hellmouth to make sure Miss Summers and Mr. Giles do their duty," Zabuto answered. "We will ensure that the Hellmouth stays shut," he added with a determined look, which was mirrored on Kendra's face.

"I know you will," Xander replied with complete confidence in Kendra's abilities. "And you'll have help from the Vatican team that will be assigned here, once Jack and his people pull out," Xander continued.

"That is true," Zabuto nodded in agreement. "Hopefully we can begin to start building some new bridges with the Vatican council," he added with a smile.

"What will you do now Xander?" Kendra asked, while flexing her arm which was healing slowly, but faster than it would have normally due to the slayer essence inside her.

"We will begin to make preparations for our quest," Xander answered. "There is a lot to discuss and put into place, before we can leave and the sooner we get started the better," he added.

"Can't you stay for a while?" Kendra inquired and hoped her friend would reconsider now that she was staying on the Hellmouth. She wanted to build some friendships, especially in light of the destruction of the ones she had with Buffy and her group, bar Xander.

"We have a long trip ahead of us Kendra and we'll properly encounter a lot of things we'll have trouble with and the sooner we get started the sooner we'll reach the end," Xander answered with a look of apology on his face, as he guessed why Kendra had asked him to stay.

"And what awaits you at the end?" Kendra asked.

"Hopefully the salvation of the gypsy people and the guaranteed safety of Janna's and my child and every other future child of the tribes," Xander answered softly.

"How do you expect to bring this about?" Mr. Zabuto asked with interest.

"By locating Vlad Tepes," Xander answered. "He is the only one according to legend who can stop the tribal in fighting and reunite our people," he continued.

"What makes you think he will help you?" Kendra asked slightly worried.

"Because he sent his children to help train us and prepare us as we travel," Janna was the one who answered this. "He would not have done that, if had he no interest in us," she added with certainty.

"Are you sure that is their purpose here?" Kendra asked again. "No offense," she added a second later to the two Nosferatu.

"None taken," Lilith told her with a smile, as she was impressed with how the African slayer had reeled in her instinct to attack any vampire.

"And to answer your first question Kendra, I am sure that is their purpose in being here," Xander told her, deciding to keep the knowledge of Vlad's ability to mind talk to him, between himself and Janna for now, although he suspected Lilith and Adrian already knew what was happening.

Kendra nodded her head and accepted Xander's word on why the two Nosferatu had come to Sunnydale and their interest in him. She was saddened that he could not stay whilst she settled in Sunnydale, but she understood his reasons for having to leave soon.

"We'll be around for at least a week, maybe two or three at the most and then we should be on our way," Xander said after a few moments, to which Lilith nodded in agreement.

"Is that everything for now?" Jessica asked from where she was sitting at the back of the room, right next to Amy.

"I believe so," Mr. Zabuto said as he stood alongside Kendra and decided to head back to Jessica's house, where they were staying.

"We'll catch up with you later after we get through some more training," Xander said, as he watched the two leave along with Jessica and Amy.

"So where do we start today?" Janna asked.

"We will begin with your magical training and then Adrian will begin your hand to hand combat training," Lilith answered, as she led them to one of the training rooms within the manor, followed by Adrian who was heading to the communication room to send a report on what they had found out about the watchers council.

Cassandra watched the meeting break up and smiled as Alexander and Janna went back to their training. Training they would need if they expected to survive their quest. She was happy to see that they were taking it seriously.

"I have a slight concern about your contact with Alexander," the tall man said, as he once again reappeared.

"What is it my lord?" she asked confused.

"Vlad Tepes has access to Alexander's mind and with it he could discover your own contact with him," the tall man answered. "This would be a breach of our rules and could cause problems from Alexander in his dealings with your husband," he added.

"Do not worry my lord. I placed a magical block on Alexander's memory of meeting me, which will ensure no one else will see it if they get inside his mind," Cassandra reassured him.

"And if Alexander tries to bring up your contact with Vlad?" the tall man inquired.

"He will not be able to, the block will only allow him to discuss my appearance with Janna," Cassandra replied.

The tall man nodded his head with a smile, as he looked into the viewing pool. He was satisfied with Cassandra's safeguards.

Jack Crow yawned as he walked into the main room they had rented for their meetings. He was quite pleased with how things had gone so far in Sunnydale, especially with the destruction of the remaining members of the Scourge of Europe.

The Vatican council was also happy to hear about the successful elimination of such a terrible treat. They were also interested in the kid's idea of starting an alliance between the different organizations. He himself was unsure whether the kid could pull such a thing off, but he was willing to help, as it really could help out in the long run in the continuing fight against the darkness.

"So padre what did the chief have to say, concerning who they would send to guard the Hellmouth?" he asked, as he saw Father Adam at a nearby table.

"It has been decided that Harrison and team Shadow will be stationed here," the padre responded, as he faced his friend. "They should arrive in about two weeks, until then we are to hold here and gather as much information as possible about whatever is going on in Sunnydale and what enemies we can expect," he added.

Jack nodded he knew Harrison was a very able hunter, as well as a leader. Team Shadow was second best in the teams, just marginally behind his own and was one of the few who had survived the assault of Valik on the European teams.

"What are they going to do concerning the blond slayer and her pathetic group?" he asked.

"Nothing, but Harrison has been ordered to keep a close eye on them and if she should act in such a manner that causes innocent lives to be wasted again, then he is to take action and eliminate her and the watcher," the padre replied with a frown, not totally agreeing with his superiors orders.

"That could cause problems with the kid and any hope of building any alliances with the others. Do they realize that?" Jack asked as he sat down.

"They do, but they are not willing to leave a slayer on the Hellmouth who is not willing to do her duty to her fullest extent," Father Adam sighed.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Jack said, not liking the idea of facing off against the kid, as he was certain he would not approve of such an action against his former friend, no matter what had happened so far.

"Agreed Jack and let us hope someone up there is listening," the padre said with a nod.

Giles stared at the phone in his hand with anger and contempt. He had hoped he could talk to the council before Mr. Zabuto could send his report, but he had been too late after the late meeting he had held with the still grieving Buffy and the others.

Whilst no direct action would be taken against them, he knew they would be watched very closely now and one little slip could cause their deaths. He did not know how Travers had been convinced not to get rid of them, but he guessed he should be thankful for small mercies.

He did not know how they would even begin to deal with this situation, but they would have to come up with something fast. He put the phone back and sat down. He took a large swallow of the whiskey he had poured himself, as he felt a headache coming on.

He wondered if he really had walked into this situation so blindly, as Xander and Jenny had accused him off, just to stay in Buffy's good graces before shaking his head in the negative at that thought. No he was sure they had brought this down on their heads, as Buffy had shouted last night. He sighed before he headed for his bed to rest before meeting with the others later, to check on how Buffy was doing.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Walking the Path Chapter 21

Three Weeks later

Xander smiled and was pleased so far with his progress. He had come quite far in his combat training, as he was helped along by the memories he still had from the Halloween spell. The others were having a little more trouble, as none of them had any real experience with hand to hand combat. Janna was slightly ahead, as she had been given some basic training when she was a teenager in her tribe.

He was having a bit more trouble is his training with the ancient magic of the gypsies, whilst Janna was progressing much faster as was his mother. This didn't bother him to much, as he knew learning magic had to be taken slowly and could not be rushed.

He had seen little of Buffy and her group, as he had basically dropped out of school as had Amy and currently they were being home tutored by Lilith and Adrian, who having been alive for so long knew quite a lot about the subjects they wanted to learn about, especially history and science which they believed would come in handy during their quest. Janna was continuing their computer course with the computer at the manor, whilst Jessica had decided to teach them how to cook, in case they ever were separated.

It had been a long three weeks and they had learned a lot, even if they were also quite tired each night. They had helped Kendra and Mr. Zabuto settle in and set up a decent patrol schedule which would ensure they didn't run into Buffy's group to often. His friendship with Kendra had strengthened and he would be quite sad when they left Sunnydale in a few days time to begin their quest.

Jack Crow and his team had been having quite a blast taking out the Hellmouth vampires and various demons they had come across. The team who would be stationed on the Hellmouth had arrived the week before and had been given all the information they would need to survive. Jack and his team had left three days ago and were heading for a hunt down in Texas. He had given him a way of getting in contact with him if he needed any help.

"Hey Alex," Amy said as she approached.

"How is it going Amy?" he asked with a smile, as he put down the book he was supposed to be reading.

"Lilith says we'll be leaving tomorrow," his friend replied. "I guess she thinks the quicker we get started the better," she added.

"I kind of agree," Xander nodded. "Nervous?" he asked.

"No," Amy shot back. "I'll be quite happy to leave Sunnydale and our home tutoring has been going well, so it's not like we're going to miss anything," she added.

"I know," Xander replied. "I guess we better start finish packing," he added as he got up.

"Do you think we'll ever come back here?" Amy asked, as she followed him towards their rooms.

"Sadly I think we will," Xander answered. "Something will come along which will require us to come back," he added and wished that he would never would have to come back to Sunnydale.

'And so it begins young one,' Vlad's voice echoed inside his head, giving him the impression that Vlad was looking forward to the adventure ahead and seeing it through his eyes.

Cassandra watched as Alexander and the others began to finish their preparations for their journey. It was almost time and she hoped they would encounter little that could prove deadly to them, but she knew in her heart that it was something that was more than likely to happen. Alexander and his friends had a lot to prove, before they could reach their goal.

"Do not worry too much Cassandra. What is meant to be will be," the tall man advised her.

"I know my lord," she answered with a sigh.

"They have much to experience and learn, but together I believe they will do fine," the tall man added before he vanished.

Cassandra nodded her head absently and looked back at the viewing pool and smiled as she watched Alexander prepare for his final night in Sunnydale.

The next day they began loading the coach Adrian had acquired with their stuff. What they decided to leave behind would be stored in the mansion. It had a very impressive security system, which was tied into the main Hellsing security net.

Xander was feeling quite excited about the beginning of their quest and he noticed Janna was looking slightly off color, but he knew she would be okay. He was glad Adrian had brought a coach which had a toilet, as he knew Janna was still experiencing morning sickness. He looked up as he noticed that Kendra and Mr. Zabuto were approaching.

"Hey," he said with a wave, as he walked over.

"I take it you are almost ready?" Mr. Zabuto asked.

"Yeah we're just loading the last of our stuff, so are you two going to be okay?" he asked, still feeling slightly down about leaving his friends.

"I am sure we will, especially with the help of Team Shadow," Mr. Zabuto assured him.

"I agree, they are very good hunters and they are willing to work with us," Kendra added with a nod. "Whilst Buffy and her group are trying to stay away from us, we can call them, if we need to," she added with a frown.

"Just watch your backs," he warned them, as Janna and Lilith approached.

"We are ready to leave," Lilith informed him. "Mr. Zabuto, a small Hellsing team will be arriving on the Hellmouth at the end of the week and will be stationed at the manor," she informed the watcher. "They will be on call to aid you at any time. They will also begin the process of trying to build some bridges with the Watcher's council and the Vatican," she added.

"Sounds like the Hellmouth will be properly guarded from now on," Kendra said with a smile at the news.

"I agree," Mr. Zabuto said. "Thank you and please pass along my thanks to Sir Integra," he added.

Xander shook the watcher's hand, before he gave Kendra a quick hug. Janna and the others said their goodbyes and then boarded the coach and prepared to move out.

"So where are we heading first?" Jessica asked. She felt more free than she had in a long time, especially in light of the fact that she was now officially divorced from her husband.

"We'll be making a short stop in LA and then we move on towards Boston," Lilith answered.

Her father had decided they should start in LA, so that they could visit his lawyers and get some legal backup in case they got into any trouble, whilst they travelled and then to Boston due to the fact he believed one of the few Nosferatu who were still alive was stationed there and he was hoping he or she would be someone who might be willing to help them. If it turned out her or she was a threat, they had been ordered to eliminate the Nosferatu.

Cassandra watched the coach, which was carrying Alexander and his friends leave Sunnydale with a smile. Their quest had finally begun and now time would tell if Alexander was truly the one who she had long believed would be the one to save her scattered people.

In England Alucard also smiled, as he watched things through his growing link to Alexander. He was quite looking forward to seeing what the boy could do outside of the confines of the Hellmouth.

"What happens now, master?" Seras asked from beside him.

"Now we will see if Alexander truly has the potential I believe he does," he replied to his fledgling.

"And if he does?" she asked with curiosity.

"Then I believe I will be face to face with the boy in a few years and I will most likely grant him what it is he wishes of me," he answered, as he watched Alexander cuddle up to his mate and begin to fall asleep.

The end for now, watch out the sequel which will start soon.


End file.
